


I'd Rather be Me

by RachelLyseBrook



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adorable Kwamis, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Is So Done, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Redemption, Alya Césaire Bashing, Bad Parent Gabriel Agreste, Bad Teacher Caline Bustier, Caline Bustier Bashing, Chloé Bourgeois Redemption, Confused Alya Césaire, F/M, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth Being Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Gen, Good Parents Sabine Cheng & Tom Dupain, Guardian Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Lila Rossi Bashing, Lila Rossi Lies, Lila Rossi's Lies Are Exposed, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Needs a Hug, Nino Lahiffe Is So Done, No Lila Rossi Redemption, No Means No, Original Akuma, Post-Episode: s03 Miracle Queen (The Battle of the Miraculous Part 2), Protective Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:34:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 91,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24894751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RachelLyseBrook/pseuds/RachelLyseBrook
Summary: Lila's threat is slowly coming to fruition. Mme. Bustier's class has isolated Marinette and, while the rumors and bullying hurt, she doesn't expose the liar. That's what Adrien asked of her, and she keeps her promise, all the while praying that something would change.But by chance while listening to music while working on homework, a song from an American musical leads her to ask for help, and discover that she's a lot less helpless against Lila than she thought.~~~~Inspired by I'd Rather Be Me from Mean Girls.In which Sabine and Tom take action to help their daughter, Adrien realizes he messed up, Caline misinterprets some things but tries, Chloé just wants Lila to stop, and Marinette is just kinda along for the ride.There will be salting of Alya, Mme. Bustier, and Lila in here, a dusting for Nino and Adrien, and a pinch for the class.Lila Anon: I'm not interested in seeing you in my comments. Feel free to roleplay elsewhere, thanks.Updates will occur in the morning (Eastern time) until completed 😊I will be taking a day or two between updates for chapters 19-25
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Kagami Tsurugi, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Sabine Cheng/Tom Dupain
Comments: 2065
Kudos: 2663
Collections: Finished111, Good Shit To Read Again AKA GSTRA





	1. Tikki's Advice and Sabine's Love

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all! So welcome to my new story. For anyone who read _Take a Hint_ this is why I wasn't feeling particularly inspired to add an epilogue. I may in the future, but again no promises.
> 
> I have this story about half way written. I am self betaing it so please forgive me if an error or 15 slip through.

_Friday_

One of Marinette's guilty pleasures was listening to American musicals in her limited spare time. Not only could they be therapeutic, but it helped her grasp the language, especially since English was the language of business in the world and being bilingual would come in handy after University.

Today she had decided to mix it up, and allowed the music service she used to pick what musical she'd listen to while working on her homework before patrol. It had been a long week, and she honestly needed a break. 

As the music floated through her ears, she got to work on her literature homework. It was one of her easier subjects and hammering it out would be a good warm up for preparing her brain for maths and physics later.

She was almost done with the assignment when a rocking beat drew her attention. Her blue eyes looked curious at her computer screen and was met with the song's name. 

_I'd Rather Be Me - Mean Girls_

One of her dark eyebrows rose as she leaned back in her computer chair and listened to the lyrics. The beat was good...but the lyrics hit home. 

The way the character dealt with being treated badly was clear. She didn't put up with it and called her bullies out, but also refused to laugh at their pain. She refused to be molded into what they wanted her to be.

By the end of it, Marinette was crying. As she hit replay, Tikki flew out from her little bed and nuzzled her Chosen's cheek. Marinette cupped her hands around the small kwami and held her close throughout the song.

When it ended again, silence filled the room for several long minutes. 

"Tikki," the ravenette's voice cracked. "I...I can't change Lila or anyone, can I?"

The red goddess shook her head. "No. And that was never your job, even as Ladybug. Sure you can offer them a vision to aspire too and advice to change their perspective...but you shouldn't sacrifice yourself in the process." She placed a gentle kiss on the girl's cheek. "You have a huge heart, Marinette, and you freely give to anyone around you. It's part of the reason you were chosen!" She sighed gently. "But that doesn't mean that you should lose yourself in the process. You deserve self care. And with everything going on now that Master Fu is...now more than ever do you need to find yourself. You need to be yourself, Marinette, not what I or anyone else tell you to be. You have a responsibility to yourself to help you."

The kwami's words were like a soothing balm. Marinette felt her shoulders, which had been straining under the psychological and physical weight of her duties and the harassment, relaxed as if a huge burden had been lifted. And it felt _amazing_.

She placed a gentle kiss on her kwami's head and smiled. "I need to talk to my parents...I-I need more help than I thought."

Tikki smiled brightly. "Do you want me to come with you?"

Marinette opened her jacket to reveal the inside pocket. "Only if you want too."

Tikki dove in and rubbed a soothing paw against her Chosen's collarbone. "I'll always be here for you, Marinette."

"Thank you, Tikki." The twin tailed girl squared her sore shoulders and headed downstairs. "Maman? Papa?"

Sabine Cheng poked her head out from the kitchen and smiled at her daughter. "Papa is down in the shop, baozi." 

"Okay." She took a deep breath. "I'll tell him later. But, Maman, I've been having some...problems...in school."

Sabine frowned slightly, putting down the dish she had been drying and giving her daughter her full attention. "Are you okay?"

"Honestly...no I'm not." Tears stung her blue eyes. "I'm..I'm being bullied. Th-there's this girl in my class, Lila. She's a transfer from Italy and she lies about _everything_ , like having medical conditions that don't add up later the same day she mentions them or knowing people that my classmates have met and saying things that don't add up about them. She got me expelled, you'll recall. And after that...I'm not sure how she's doing it, but she has my friends convinced I'm a bad person and a bully and no one will talk to me or fact check what Lila says." Hot tears spilled down her cheeks. "A-Adrien knows she's lying, but he a-asked me to not expose her because she's gotten akumatized several times already. He's convinced her lies will eventually unravel and at the time no one was getting hurt...but now _I'm_ getting hurt...and _I don't know what to do!"_

Her last statement came out as a pitiful wail, almost like a little child's. Marinette reached for her mother and she was swept up into the shorter woman's embrace. The young girl sobbed into her mother's shoulder, releasing weeks of tension, realizing just how much she was bearing alone. 

Sabine rubbed soothing circles into Marinette's back and sung a Chinese lullaby softly into her daughter's ear. After maybe 5 minutes, she guided her daughter to the living room couch and, after both sat down, continued to hold and soothe her while tears continued to fall. 

Thirty minutes later, Marinette's sobs died down but she continued to lay in her mother's warm embrace, seeking as much comfort as she could. Sabine has pulled her hair loose from the twin tails and was running her fingers through the inky locks. 

"I'm so proud of you for telling me what's going on," Sabine whispered. "Papa and I have been worried about you. You've been looking stressed and the last time Alya was here, neither of you were particularly happy to be with each other. Papa and I were planning on talking about it with you this weekend. It looks like you beat us to the punch."

A weak smile graced Marinette's face. "I love you, Maman."

The older woman smiled and placed a gentle kiss on her daughter's head. "I love you too, baozi."

~~~~~~

After dinner and a few rounds of UMS3, Tom and Sabine sat Marinette down for a talk. 

"Your father and I," Sabine started. "Have been gathering some information on counselors and resources the Board of Governors has. Your expulsion, while reversed, is cause enough for us to report Françoise Dupont for investigation. Much of it wasn't handled as it should have been, especially since a mass akumatization occurred, even if it failed."

Marinette's blue eyes blinked at her mother.

"What your Maman is saying," Tom piped up, holding his daughter's hand in his very large one. "Is that we've spoken to the Parent Teacher Association who told us we should put in a request for your case to be looked into by the Board. Knowing now that there is bullying also taking place, and it doesn't sound like your teachers are helping or doing as their state mandated training requires, we believe now is the best time to submit that request."

"Our teachers are trained to deal with bullies?"

Sabine nodded. "As of 2014, all teachers have been required to take a course on bullying and be recertified yearly. I believe this was increased in earnest after Papillon appeared."

Marinette raised a skeptical eyebrow. "If that's the case, they have failed for years since Chloé has been allowed to do as she wishes without consequences. Just as an example, she destroyed my gift for Mme. Bustier and instead of getting either punished or some kind of talk, _I_ was taken aside and told that I needed to be a good example for Chloé. That my gift was a joint gift because Chloé had added her 'creativity' to it."

Sabine pursed her lips and Tom's eyebrows gathered. "That is defacement of property. Was it in your locker when she did that?"

The young girl nodded slowly.

"That's also breaking and entering. The locker rooms have cameras in them right? Was no CCTV looked at?"

Marinette shrugged. "Honestly I don't remember much because Mme. Bustier was akumatized not long after."

Tom and Sabine looked at each other with concern before looking back at their daughter.

"We are going to submit our complaint to the Board on Tuesday. Do you feel comfortable going to school on Monday? We would bring it in on Monday, but we have that huge order we can't miss."

Marinette twiddled her fingers, thoughtfully. "Would I be able to come home early if something happened or I don't feel safe?"

"Of course, baguette!" Tom replied immediately, taking his daughter's hands in his. "You can even call and we will come get you ourselves."

Marinette laughed at that. "Papa, we live right next door!"

Sabine smiled at her daughter's genuine laugh, happy that they weren't too late in listening to advice. 


	2. Luka's Jacket and Chat's Hugs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette opens up to Luka about her plan to see the Board.
> 
> Chat Noir enjoys some time with Marinette after an akuma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Language warning: use of the word "shit"
> 
> Emotions run high in the second half of this chapter. I apologise if this makes someone out of character.
> 
> Also....I just really love Marichat. It is my favorite of the love square. I will limit it to friendship in this. Sorry to all the Lukanette fans, I will do my best to give them as much screen time as I can.
> 
> Enjoy!

_Saturday_

Luka and Marinette walked side by side by the Seine. Their spontaneous date of a small meal had been fun, and now they were enjoying the spring evening air before parting ways for the night. Luka was humming Marinette's song loud enough for both of them to enjoy, but soft enough to not disturb the gentle peace that surrounded them.

When he had finished humming, Marinette looked up at him, her fingers twisting together nervously.

"What is it, Melody?" He asked, his blue green eyes warm with concern. "Your song has been sputtering all evening."

Marinette sighed. Their relationship was still fresh, but Luka seemed to know her with a familiarity that she really wasn't used to. "Well...a lot has been going on in school...and I had a bit of a breakdown yesterday."

The blue haired musician's eyes widened. "Are you okay?"

"Yes! ...no. ...maybe? I'm not sure." She took a deep breath and stopped walking. He did the same as they faced each other. "Yes, because my parents are in my corner. Maybe, because we are going to ask the Board of Governors to look into some...concerning things happening at school. And no, because I'm scared to death of not being taken seriously and of what waits for me on Monday."

Luka's hands lifted to rest warmly on her shoulders. "I'm so glad you talked to them, Marinette. I've seen the strain you've been under and talking to your parents was the right step. I'm proud of you."

Marinette's cheeks flushed lightly and she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear shyly. He pulled her into a warm hug and she clung tightly to him, her eyes stinging, but no tears came.

They remained like that for several long minutes before their phones chirped. Marinette groaned as she pulled away and took out the offending device, only to sigh as she saw it was an akuma alert. "I...ah...got to go. Maman will be worried."

Luka smiled kindly, a gleam in his eyes that she couldn't place. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Will you text me to let me know you got home safe?"

"Of course." She replied with a smile. 

Before she could pull away, he stopped her. "Wait," he said as he pulled off his hoodie and pressed it into her hands. "It's going to get chilly once the sun goes down."

Knowing he wasn't going to take no for an answer and she needed to go, Marinette took it and smiled. "Thanks, Luka." She replied before turning and sprinting away. 

"You're welcome, my Melody." Luka whispered as he watched her go.

~~~~~

The akuma had been slightly more difficult than Ladybug had expected and she had almost run out of time when she cast her miraculous cure. After the fastest fist bump, and her earrings screaming at the one minute warning, she sprinted to find a place to hide before she transformed. She was too far from home to make it before her timer ran out.

Marinette barely made it to a secluded alleyway before the pink light as her transformation faded. Letting out a long breath, she handed Tikki the macaron in her purse and pulled Luka's jacket close. 

Her teal haired boyfriend has been right. As soon as the sun dropped below the horizon, the temperature had done the same, going from comfortable to nippy.

Tikki munched happily as Marinette walked out of the alley. It would be smart to keep moving in the direction of home so as to be less conspicuous, and transform once Tikki was done. The kwami ducked into her purse as they walked and talked about the akuma.

At least until a dark shadow jumped down in front of her. "Good evening, Princesse!"

Marinette jumped back at the sight of her cat partner. His blonde hair swayed in the breeze and his green cat eyes looked at her mischievously. 

"Chat Noir!" She huffed. "You can't go around scaring civilians!"

He bit back a laugh. "Sorry, Princesse. I couldn't resist purrrrlaying with you. But what are you doing out walking alone so late?"

Marinette rolled her eyes and resumed walking. Chat kept pace with her, his leather tail swishing behind him. "I was on my way home from a date when I got caught in the middle of that akuma."

"Oh…" Chat replied, his faux ears twitched. "Why isn't your date waking you home?"

"We split ways at the halfway point between our homes. I was already on my way when the akuma alert came." Her hands gripped at Luka's jacket, pulling in more warmth.

The blonde nodded, silent but a bit pensive, which piqued Marinette's curiosity.

"What are you doing out, Chat?" She asked gently. "Well, besides the akuma, of course."

Chat smiled at her. "I wanted to check in on my favorite civilian. It's been a while since we last talked and...I missed you."

Marinette blinked at that. "Wait... I'm your favorite civilian? Even after the whole ordeal with my dad?"

A chuckle escapes the blonde's lips. "Of course! When we talk...you talk to me almost like my being a superhero isn't a big deal. Like I'm a normal person. It's refreshing and I'd really like to keep being your friend, even if your dad isn't my biggest fan and if that's okay."

Marinette stopped walking for a second as her brain processed that. Of course she treated Chat Noir like being a superhero wasn't a big deal because she was Ladybug. Not that he knew that, of course. But the delicious irony that the one civilian he wanted to be around was his partner's civilian identity was not lost on the noir haired girl. She would have to be careful now that she was the guardian, but fostering a friendship with Chat probably wouldn't be a bad idea, especially since being his friend as Ladybug was difficult with her all business persona. She smiled at him. "I'd be happy to be your friend, Chat Noir." 

Suddenly, his arms were around her in a firm hug. "Thank you," he choked out, his voice tighter than before. "I, uh, don't have many friends in my civilian life and….well, it's lonely being a superhero, even with Ladybug and the temporary hero gang."

Marinette smiled as she hugged him back. "My balcony is always open to you, Chat." She squeezed him gently before pulling back. "How about you come over for a bit? I made pain au chocolat today!"

Chat swept her up at that and carried her to the rooftops. Marinette couldn't help but laugh at her partner's antics as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, closing her eyes and letting herself be swept away.

~~~~~

Chat looked around Marinette's room. It wasn't the first time he had been there, but it was the first time he had been invited in as Chat. The room looked a touch different from his last, mostly uninvited visit.

Namely the pictures of Adrien and their friends that had been arranged on the walls were no longer there.

Instead, the wall was covered in different sketches, magazine clippings, and fabric swatches. He found his eyes drawn to what looked like a few sketches of _him,_ well of Chat Noir. 

Hats, jackets, even a few scarves all sketched on to very animated pictures of himself. Cocky grins, a view of his back, a couple close ups for the hats and scarves.

Even though Chat and Mari had only had a few interactions, her drawings were a true testament to her recall of details and skill. The sketches were raw, not as defined as Nathaniel’s, but perfect for the function they had.

His faux ear twitched as he heard her coming up the stairs to her room. Chat quickly opened the hatch door for her and held out a hand to help her up the last of the steps (as a knight in shining leather should). Her smile sent a familiar warmth through her chest. It was one he hadn’t seen as Adrien in a long time, and basking in it now reminded him of how much he missed it.

She handed him a mug of hot chocolate and brought the tray with the croissants to a small table she had set up near her chaise. Pulling a blanket from the back of the chaise, she cocooned herself and sat down, gesturing for him to join her if he wished. 

Nursing the mug in his gloved hands, being sure not to scratch the porcelain with his claws, he sat beside her with a respectful distance between them. The jacket that she still wore reminded him that Marinette was dating Luka, and he - Adrien - was with Kagami. 

Not that he thought of Marinette in that way anyway. She was a very good friend to him, both in and out of the mask.

Taking a sip of her hot chocolate, Marinette looked towards her design covered wall. “I guess the cat is out of the bag on those…”

Chat perked up and almost leapt out of his seat at the pun. “Puurrrrincesse!” He purred, wiping a non-existent tear from his eye. “That was a purrrfect pun!”

She rolled her blue eyes, but he could see the smile she was hiding behind her mug. “Do you like them? Ladybug commissioned me to make some things to help the two of you keep warm during the winter. Obviously they won't be ready until October, but she wanted me to get a head start on them."

His cat eyes blinked at that. “Really?”

“Of course.” Marinette replied as if it wasn’t a big deal to be commissioned by the city heroes to make winter gear. “Heroes get cold too, after all. Unfortunately, they won’t be up to par with your armour, but they’ll keep you warm during patrol at the least.”

The thought of Marinette caring so much about him and his lady caused a purr to emanate from his throat. “Thank you, Princesse.”

The twin tailed designer smiled at him and passed him one of the pain au chocolat from the tray. “You’re welcome, Chat. Anything to help my favorite superhero.”

For the second time that night, Chat blinked in surprise and choked on the offered pastry. “Wait...I’m your favorite?”

“Of course!" She replied without missing a beat. "Everybody has loved Ladybug from the beginning, but I think they forget that without you, she might not have continued past the first day, as she mentioned in an interview once if I recall. And you constantly save her, and do everything you can to keep civilians from getting hurt. And the way you talk to civilians and de-evilized akuma victims...you just care so much and it shows. So, yeah. You are my favorite. And always have been."

Chat didn't say anything for a few minutes, slowly putting his mug and croissant on the tray before turning to Marinette. "Princesse…" his throat closed on him mid-word and he fought to clear it. "Marinette, you saying that means the _world_ to me."

Marinette put down her mug and opened up her arms to the superhero. "Come here, Chat."

The blonde wasted no time in leaning into her embrace. His arms wrapping around her waist as he buried his face in her soft middle. Her thin but deceptively strong arms wrapped around his shoulders, one hand burying itself in his hair, scratching right behind his faux ears. He doesn't fight the purr that came as a result of the touch. 

They stayed like that for a while, neither really wanting to move from the embrace and just soaking in the warmth that floated between them, soothing the aches in Marinette’s heart and the worries in Chat’s mind.

Eventually, he spoke. “I know this probably isn’t any of my business as I wasn’t supposed to see what was on the wall in the first place...but last time I was here, I remember seeing pictures of your classmates on your wall, but now they aren't on any of your walls. Did….did something happen?”

Marinette let out a slow breath that hitched somewhere in the middle...and Chat knew something had happened. Something bad.

"I'm just...having a really hard time with my classmates of late. You remember Lila?"

Chat bit back a feral growl, but a choked sound of acknowledgement echoed from his mouth. 

The dark haired girl continued to massage his scalp as she spoke, her voice starting and stopping occasionally, but the story was clear. "Well, the two of us don't get along. She likes to lie...a lot. And not just white lies, she's lied about some pretty big things too, things that could make or break future careers of my fr- classmates. Like promising to put in a good word with famous music industry types, or movie producers, journalists, actors, charity philanthropists, and even Ladybug." She sighed deeply. "At first, I just thought she was doing it to look cool. But after Volpina, Ladybug... approached me with a book Lila had stolen from another classmate. She explained that she was very concerned about Lila's lies and her capabilities as an akuma. She asked me to return the book to my classmate's father, since he was the owner and to keep an eye on her and expose any lies I could."

Chat froze underneath her fingertips. _Shit…_ he thought. _She was attempting to expose Lila under Ladybug's orders?!_

"And I did for a while. I got a lot of heat for it, especially from Alya - the ladyblogger. Lila even got me expelled for a few days. But around the time she was akumatized as Chameleon, I was approached by another classmate who also knew she was lying. He asked me to take the high road and let her lies unravel themselves without my interference."

Chat was mentally kicking himself. _Why didn't LB tell me she was sending someone to keep an eye on Lila?! I would have never given her that advice if I knew!_

"That day, before she was akumatized, Lila cornered me in the bathroom and-" her voice broke, but she swallowed hard. "She _threatened_ to take my friends and my credibility away if I didn't back off."

Chat saw red. He leapt out of Marinette's lap, his tail swished angrily, his hands curled into claws, his face contorted with rage. He snarled and hissed as he paced in front of his friend. 

That _vixen_ dared to _threaten his Princesse_ ! How dare she. _How dare she!_

And what was worse, was he knew how this story of hers would end. 

Because he _witnessed_ it and was too oblivious to connect the dots until now. He had seen how Alya's relationship with Marinette had deteriorated, the looks of disappointment, the quick reprimands, the easy dismissal of anything Mari said. Saw how Kim treated her with malice, purposely tripping her. Saw how even Rose - who he had considered one of the more benign of his classmates - turned on her with such viciousness that it made him turn tail. The rumors. The bruises that Mari would dismiss as harmless falls. 

And the fact that she told _none of this_ to Adrien. The one who had promised her they were in this together.

All the pleasant ego stroking she had given him when she told him that Chat Noir was her favorite superhero was swept away and his knees buckled under him sending him to the floor with a thunk.

_She never would have told Adrien._

_Because she doesn't trust Adrien. Adrien gave her crap advice because he didn't understand the situation in it's entirety and didn't ask to be read in. Because he didn't_ want to see _the whole picture._

Chat tore his hands through his hair, pulling harshly at the golden locks, a whine of pure pain and self loathing escaping his throat. 

Warm hands touch his face and force him to meet blue eyes filled with tears. Another whine escaped his lips as he pulled her into a tight hug. They remained like that for several minutes, Marinette sobbing and Chat stress purring. Both flooded with tears.

"I'm so sorry, Marinette." Chat finally said into her shoulder as she held him tight. "I-I didn't know Ladybug had sent you into this battle. I'm so sorry you have been fighting this vixen alone." He pulled away slightly and cupped her face in his hands, mindful of his claws, and brushing her tears away lightly. "But you won't be alone anymore. I promise. She...she can't keep doing this to you anymore. She's hurting you and _I won't let her._ "

Marinette hiccuped and nuzzled his hand gently before replying. "M-my parents and I are putting in a request for investigation of Françoise Dupont because of my expulsion and the bullying. I don't know if that'll do anything about Lila specifically, but m-maybe it'll h-help me."

Chat nodded, his thumbs continued to stroke her cheeks. "Can I help? Maybe I can talk to them about the mass akumatization attempt that happened the day you were expelled and the worrying number of students at Françoise Dupont who have been akumatized or reakumatized. Maybe they'll take swifter action if I'm there."

His mind was also trying to think of something he could do to stop Lila specifically. Even if Marinette didn't trust Adrien with what she was going through, that was no excuse to sit on the sideline and not do anything now that he knew. Now that he could see what was going on.

"Th-that may help a lot, actually." A smile, though weak, graced her face and Chat swore he had never seen a more heavenly sight. She had smiled because of the promise of _his help_ . She _wanted_ his help!

"Good! When are you going?"

"Tuesday bright and early."

Chat paused, thinking to Adrien's schedule. Besides school, he wouldn't have anything to attend to until fencing and Chinese lessons in the afternoon. He'd have to negotiate a leave of absence from school, but he was sure he'd think of something. "I'll be there, Princesse. Do you need me to bring anything in particular?" He reluctantly removed his hands from her face, but grasped her hands gently. 

"A hug?" She asked, her voice still weak from crying.

He smiled softly at her. "I always have those for you, Marinette." With that he scooped her up, and took her to the chaise. Once they were both settled, he pulled a blanket over the two of them as they hugged until Marinette fell asleep.

In the morning, Chat was gone, but he left a note for her.

_Dearest Princesse,_

_Thank you for telling me what was going on and letting me be here for you. I promise I will do all I can to help you._

_You are precious, Marinette, even if others can't see it._

_Sincerely,_

_Your Loyal Knight_


	3. Adrien's Attempt and Caline's Failure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien tries to talk to Mari, but finds his friend acts very differently with him. 
> 
> Mari submits her resignation as Class Representative and there is an... Incident.
> 
> A dash of Lukanette and pinch of MariChat friendship because I love these ships.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in the show, there is a nurse at Françoise Dupont, however he/she is never named. (At least up until season 3) So in Take a Hint, I created an OC to take that role. Mme. Blanchet will be mentioned here and make an appearance in the next chapter.
> 
> Also Warning: a character has a verbal confirmation with an adult here as well as mentions of physical and emotional bullying. It is mild, nothing graphic... But present. If that is something that could trigger or make you uncomfortable, please read at your disgresion. Please stay safe, friends. 
> 
> The verbal confrontation begins at this symbol:~~£~~£~~
> 
> If you would like to read the part after the verbal confrontation, please skip to this symbol: ~~*~~*~~
> 
> At the end note I will provide a summary.

_Sunday_

Marinette had woken up unusually early the next morning as inspiration stuck. She dove out of bed and seized her sketchbook and began drawing feverishly. An hour or so later, the sewing machine came out.

She continued like this for hours until Tikki flew in front of her face and demanded she take at least a five minute break to eat something. Only then did she realize the sun was high in the sky and her stomach was begging for her to eat something. 

Getting up carefully, she headed downstairs and made her breakfast. She could hear her parents downstairs working in the bakery and she would need to join them in an hour. Quickly, she ate her cereal and headed back up to her room, grabbing her weekend clothes (a pair of soft blue jeans and a pink shirt) and hopped in the shower.

The warm water soothed her as she scrubbed off the salt from her tears cheeks and what felt like the pain from the rest of the week off of her skin. Her skin and scalp a delicate pink, she climbed out of the shower and got dressed. Fluffing her hair with the towel, she ran a comb through it before pulling it into a high ponytail.

She looked at herself in the mirror and deemed herself ready to face the day. 

Heading into the bakery, she grabbed an apron and kissed her father. "Good morning, Papa."

Tom smiled at her and returned a kiss on her brow. "Good morning, baguette." 

"What would you like me to do?"

The large man gestured to a tray of cupcakes that had yet to be decorated. "Those cupcakes could use some Mari Magic."

She laughed at that and got to work.

~~~~~

Sunday passed by peacefully and after a warm and happy dinner with her parents, Marinette found herself on her balcony watching the sunset. The autumn breeze flitted through her hair and she pulled Luka's jacket just a bit tighter. She wondered if he would let her keep it for a bit longer.

Pulling out her phone, she sent him a text.

Marinette _: Hi Luka! How are you doing?_

Luka: _Hi Melody I'm doing well, you?_

Marinette: _so so. Sorry I couldn't chat with you more last night, a stray found his way into my balcony._

Luka: _lol did you feed him?_

Marinette: _:/ yeah_

Luka: _you know what they say about feeding strays :D_

Marinette: _well I don't mind this one hanging around, as long as he doesn't destroy my plants._

Luka _: that would be a catastrophe._

Marinette: _….was that a pun?_

Luka: _unintentional, but yes._

Marinette: _groansforever.gif_

Luka: _ <3 _

Marinette: _ <3 _

Marinette: _I can get your jacket back to you tomorrow when I see Juleka_

Luka: _don't worry about it, Melody keep it for as long as you want._

Marinette: _really?_

Luka: _yeah, I'll make do. <3 _

Marinette: _ <3 _

A soft thunk sounded behind her, and Mari was grateful she had put her phone in her pocket when she was at risk of dropping it. She turned to face the noise and smiled at Chat Noir. "Good evening, Chat."

The feline hero's tail swished comfortably behind him as he joined her at the railing. "Good evening, Princesse. How are you tonight?"

"Better. And you?"

"About the same. Did you sleep alright?"

His concern warmed her. "Yes. Though I'm sorry about using you as a pillow."

He chuckled lightly. "Don't be, I'm not. Cats make good comfort companions after all."

She joined in his laughter and scratched lightly under his chin. "So, are you patrolling tonight?" She asked, knowing the answer.

"Yeah, so I won't be staying long. But," he put his hand behind his back. "I did want to give you this." He pulled out a rose he had tucked into his belt, the yellow petals softly glowing in the dimming light. "A pretty flower for a pretty princess!"

She couldn't stop a chuckle as she took the flower and smiled at him. "Thank you, Chat. It is lovely." She walked towards the skylight. "If you have a minute, I'll grab something I have for you too." 

"Oh Princesse, you don't -"

"But I want to," she gave him her best kitten eyes. "Please?"

Chat faltered. "Oh alright. I've got time."

"Great! Just...uh...wait right there!" Mari said before dashing down into her room and then into the kitchen. She grabbed a small, narrow necked vase and filled it carefully with water before placing the rose in it. Satisfied, she placed the rose on her desk in a place where it would not likely be knocked over and picked up the gift for Chat.

He turned to look at her when she returned and Marinette handed him a folded white cloth. "It's not part of the commission, but I wanted to make you a small something as thanks."

Chat took it carefully, making sure his claws didn't catch on it, and unfolded the soft fabric to reveal a delicately made handkerchief. At one of the corners was an embroidered green paw print. His eyes widened as he studied her craft and rubbed the fabric against his cheek. "It's so soft!" 

"I'm glad you like it. Pretty sure it would have been a catastrophe if it wasn't up to snuff."

He looked up and blinked at her before breaking out in a grin. "Two nights in a row with puns! Princesse, you spoil me!"

Mari rolled her eyes, but continued to smile at him. 

Chat tucked the handkerchief into one of his pockets before he grasped one of her hands and pressed a gentle kiss against her knuckles. "I love my gift. Thank you, Mari."

She smiled softly at him. "Your welcome, Kitty Cat. Now you best be off. Don't want to be out too late. It's a school night!"

"As you wish," He dropped a regal now before smirking up at her. "I bid you adieu, Princesse. Sleep well."

"Good night, Chat. Stay safe."

He gave her a two finger salute before he flipped off her balcony and vaulted into the night.

~~~~~

_Monday_

For the second morning in a row, Marinette was up earlier than usual. But that meant she had time to shower and actually choose an outfit. Her standard pink jeans, white top and black jacket were convenient and comfortable, but after the weekend she had had, she wanted to wear something different. 

A new outfit to go with a new start. 

And what a good time to show off the Heroes of Paris designs she had been working on for some time.

Considering Luka's hoodie was dark in color and casual in comfort, she picked the Chat Noir outfit she had been working on to pair with it. A black sleeveless, high neck top with mint trim and an embroidered paw print just above her heart paired with a mint knee length pleated skirt and black leggings. Her black flats would make a great finishing touch.

"I'm sure Chat would love seeing you in his colors, Marinette!" Tikki chirped with a giggle.

_Yeah...like he’s going to see me in this…_ She thought with a smile and looked in the mirror to apply light gloss to her lips, and she wondered what she should do about her hair. She could wear it down, but it would likely annoy her and get in her way. The high pony she had worn on Sunday had been comfortable and kept her hair from her face, but maybe a braid would be better. Kinda Lady Noire esq.

Taking a mint green ribbon and her brush, she left the bathroom to see if her mom had gone to the bakery yet or not.

Sabine was humming in the kitchen as she prepared a cup of coffee for herself. 

"Maman?" Marinette asked. "Do you have a minute to braid my hair?"

"Of course, baozi," Sabine replied with a smile. She pulled out a chair for her daughter to sit in and took the brush and hair tie. "Just one?"

Marinette nodded and her mother began brushing her raven colored locks. The older woman hummed a tune as her deft fingers weaved the raven locks into a French style braid before tying off the end with the ribbon Marinette had given her. "There! You look lovely."

The teen smiled at her mom before sitting down to eat a small breakfast. She had about a half hour before she needed to be at school, so a quick breakfast would be fine. 

Ten minutes later, Marinette kissed her parents goodbye and good luck with the large order before straightening her shoulders, lifting her chin, and walking out of the bakery.

~~~~~

She made it to class with ten full minutes to spare. And she internally sighed with relief when she noticed that neither Lila nor Alya were anywhere in the room. Avoiding Kim to get to her seat was easy since he sat on the opposite side of the room, but Alya was her desk mate and Lila would usually hang out by the budding reporter until the bell rang.

When she entered Mme. Bustier's classroom, several eyes turned to her. Most of them looked away without a second thought, but others did a double take, as if seeing her _this_ early was the sign of the apocalypse or something. 

Keeping her head high and shoulders back under those gazes, she tried to ignore them and sat quickly in her seat. She pulled out her school tablet and opened the homework folder, skimming through the assignments due that day, making sure she answered all the questions or at least attempted in the case of physics.

Minutes ticked by and no one spoke to the dark haired girl or approached her, for which she was glad. With the way some of the harassment had escalated of late, she wasn't sure how long it would take for her to break down, even as she tried to keep a wall of "I don't care" around her. She could feel Tikki's soothing circles from her spot in the small purse at her side and silently thanked the kwami by patting the bag gently.

Today would be okay. She would be okay.

All she had to do was get through today.

~~~~~

Adrien wasn't really paying attention to what Nino was saying as they walked into school. Sure he caught the gist of what his friend had done that weekend (created a new mix that he wanted Adrien to listen to at lunch), but besides that, he wasn't listening to the specific details of his friend's inspiration.

Any other day, he would. Any other day, Nino would have had his full attention.

But today, the blonde model was deep in thought, trying to figure out some way to help Marinette without hinting at his secret identity.

Plagg had been on a warpath when they got back to the manor and even now Adrien could feel the small kwami of destruction stewing. When Adrien had asked him why he was so furious, the kwami had glared at him. _"No one messes with Mullo's mice._ No one! _"_

It had taken Adrien a second to recall that Marinette had been Multimouse and while he wasn't familiar with the rat kwami, he could infer that Mullo was that kwami's name. Was Plagg just really protective of all Miraculous users? 

No, he couldn't give two cares about Chloé, even before Miracle Queen. 

So why Marinette?

_Probably for the same reason why I'm protective of her: Marinette is a good and loving friend. She deserves everything good in the world._

Plagg probably would have teased him about that if the situation had been different. 

A hand fell heavily on Adrien's shoulder. "Dude," Nino said, worriedly. "You are really spacing today. Are you alright?"

The blonde shook himself and plastered on one of his model smiles before turning to his friend. "I didn't get a lot of sleep last night and I didn't grab any coffee before leaving the house. I'll probably be better by lunch."

_If I can talk to Mari, of course._

Nino didn't look convinced, but he didn't press. "Okay, man."

And with that, the two entered their homeroom, Adrien's eyes caught a figure sitting in the chair behind his...and he did a double take.

_Is that…Mari?_

Nino let out a low whistle. "Did hell freeze over?" He asked. "Nettie's never this early!"

"I don't know, man." Adrien whispered back. "Good thing I have a zombie prep pack in my locker."

Nino attempted to punch Adrien's shoulder as the two teens walked to their seats, and barely missed as the blonde's reflexes kicked in, prompting a dodge. 

The blonde was so fixated on his princess that he wasn't sure how he got from the door to his chair. His green eyes took in the sight of her. Her black hair was braided in a single braid down the back of her head and curled over her left shoulder, Luka's jacket again wrapped around her frame, but beneath it he could see a black shirt with mint colored trim. 

Before sitting down, he saw the inconspicuous green paw print hidden by Luka's jacket. The subtle nod to his alter ego brought a smile to his face. 

"Good morning, Marinette." He happily greeted the raven haired girl. 

Had he not been looking right at her, he would have missed how she flinched at the greeting. A reminder that school had been unkind to her of late and of the broken trust that lay between Adrien and _Chat's_ Princesse. 

Her shoulders hunched slightly as she looked up at him, her stance screaming _don't hurt me_ even with Adrien's tone was friendly

The ache in his chest that hadn't left him since the night before roared back to life. He fought to keep a kind, friendly and not fake smile on his face and remain upright. 

"Good morning, Adrien," she replied, her voice even, no stutter that he had grown used to present. 

_When had it gone away?_

"I like your outfit. Did you design it yourself?"

A small glimmer of the Marinette he knew showed in those clear blue eyes and she sat up just a bit straighter. "Yes. It's part of a series of designs inspired by the Heroes of Paris I've been working on. This is one of the more subtle Chat Noir ones."

His heart warmed that she wanted to wear _his_ colors. "I'm sure he'd be happy with how it came out. It's very stylish and tasteful. Are you going to be wearing others?"

She shrugged slightly, that confidence fading a bit. "Thank you. And...uh...maybe. I'm still hashing out some of the patterns and...well. We'll see."

While the train of the conversation was fading, Adrien took it as a win to get her to talk to him, even if she was fighting fear to do so. At least she wasn't monosyllabic. 

"If you need a second pair of eyes or a model, let me know. I'd love to help you." He fought to keep despiration out of his voice. It had only been a few hours and he missed the sassy Mari he had picked up after the akuma fight. He wanted to bask in the glow of her genuine smile, the one Adrien rarely saw. 

He missed his friend, even if Chat was more of a friend to her than Adrien was.

And he hated that Lila had stolen that from him. And stolen her confidence her fight.

And that he had unknowingly helped the vixen do so.

"I'll think about it." Marinette replied, noncommittally, her head ducking down to look at the tablet in front of her. She added in a whisper, "Thank you, Adrien."

Her body language screamed the end of their conversation and Adrien decided not to push. He'd gotten more than he expected, even if it was less than he had hoped. Adrien replied with a quiet, "You're welcome," before sitting in his chair.

And came face to face with the vixen herself.

She was leaning on his desk, her face mere inches from his. For a moment he could have sworn he saw a hard glare in her olive eyes, as if he had displeased her.

_Good. Because you disgust me._

He schooled his face into the blankest expression he could manage, attempting to emulate his cousin Felix and his Pére for a moment. "Can I help you?" He asked, his tone empty and hard, not in the mood to put up with games. 

Lila tilted her head in what Adrien could only assume was supposed to make her look more attractive, pursing her lips and fluttering her eyelashes. 

Honestly, to him, the expression made him feel sick.

"Good morning, Adrien." Her voice had a low purr to it, but it reminded him more of a rattlesnake in the grass. "I really appreciated your help studying with me last week. I'm almost caught up in the lessons now."

He didn't verbally respond, deciding to give a very Gabriel esq nod. 

She reached out a long nailed finger to stroke his arm, but he subtly moved it before contact could be made. "I was wondering if we could do that again sometime this week." She was looking at him from under her eyelashes now, similarly to how Marinette had several minutes prior. But unlike Marinette's, which had made his heart clench painfully, Lila's look made his stomach sick. 

"I'm afraid that wouldn't be possible. This week is booked with appointments and fittings. I'll be lucky if I can manage my own homework this week." He replied, adding a shake of his head and a small frown before smiling a model smile with a "I got it" face. "I'd recommend asking Max. He does have the highest grades in our class and I believe he does a study session on Tuesday afternoons."

It wasn't a lie. Wednesday to Friday was booked solid for him in preparation for a fashion show on Saturday. And there was no way in hell he was missing helping Marinette tomorrow. 

Her olive eyes flashed with irritation, but she turned up the contrition as she stood up a bit straighter. "Oh I didn't know, Adrien. I'm sorry for being such a bother. It's just so hard with my wrist and my charity work."

The blonde refused to take the bait. "All the more reason for you to go to Max's study sessions. Also, because one of my stylists has wrist issues, I'd suggest getting a supportive brace. Maybe it will reduce the pain and strain."

Nino, to Adrien's eternal gratitude, piped up. "Yeah, dudette. We'd love to have you at the study sessions. I've been going for about a month now and I'm no longer failing physics!"

Lila seemed to be debating something behind those olive eyes, when Rose and Alya also added their encouragement for her to join their study group. The Italian sighed (irritation evident to the model, but no one mentioned it) before smiling in Max's direction. "I'd hate to impose…"

Max smiled at her. "Everyone is welcome at the study session. We meet every Tuesday right after school in the courtyard unless there is a test that day. If there is, we meet on Monday." 

"Oh thank you!" Lila's tone was too high, too fake. "I'm so glad to have friends like you all."

While the rest of the class affirmed their friendship with the vixen, Adrien leaned down to get his tablet from his backpack, discreetly looking behind him at his princess.

She was resting her head on her arms, her fists tightly holding on to Luka's jacket as if it could keep the hurt away from her. As if Luka could save her from the Italian's voice which was no doubt the source of her shutting him out.

It broke Adrien's heart all over again.

He noticed that her backpack had fallen over into the stairway, the one Lila would likely be ascending shortly, and Adrien didn't think twice before grabbing it and moving it so it was under her desk completely, preventing any sort of tripping hazard. 

The bell rang and the blonde tapped on his noir haired classmate's desk to get her attention. Her head snapped up and her wild eyes met his, calming only a bit before she turned her attention to her tablet.

Adrien gave her a small smile before noticing a glare coming from the back of the classroom. Lila was sneering at the back of Marinette's head until she noticed Adrien's frown and gave him a fake smile. But Adrien wasn't oblivious to her game anymore. No, now that he knew Lila was playing to destroy, he would need to be on his guard.

He owed Marinette that much.

~~~~~

Caline Bustier called attention to her class and began with announcements. "Good morning, class. I hope you all had a refreshing weekend. Please remember to turn in your permission slips for next Thursday's field trip to the Louvre by this Friday so we have a full headcount.

"Our class fundraiser for our class trip next month will be in two weeks. Please see myself or Marinette for the sign up sheet. I expect everyone to pitch in since this is for all of your enjoyment. The more money we make, the better for everyone.

"Lastly, the student council will be hosting a school dance at the end of the semester. The theme this year will be Masquerade. Please see Marinette for details."

A heaviness settled over her students and Caline didn't miss the glares directed at the blue eyed Asian student. 

Marinette slowly raised her hand and Caline's blue eyes blinked before calling on the dark haired girl. "Student council would like me to share that tickets for the dance are 5 euros each. The proceeds will go to help the akuma victims fund." Her voice was shakily, but understandable. She took a deep breath, before taking out a folder from her backpack. "Mme. Bustier, I'd like to talk to you about my being class representative, right now if that's alright."

Caline sighed. "We have to begin class now."

Marinette seemed to shrink in on herself. "I know, but this is important and really can't wait until after class."

The red haired woman took in the state of her student and sighed again. "Class, please begin reading chapter 15 of your text. Marinette," she addressed the ravenette. "Come with me."

~~£~~£~~

Marinette nodded and grabbed a folder, clutching it tight to her chest as she followed her teacher out to the hallway. They walked away from the classroom door to have some privacy before Caline turned to the student.

"What is going on, Marinette?" She asked, her voice kind and gentle.

Marinette took a deep breath and pulled a form from her folder, handing it to her teacher. "I would like to resign from my position as class representative, effective immediately."

Caline blinked in surprise, completely blindsided. Her long fingers took the paper robotically and looked it over. It was a formal resignation letter, completed as necessary. And the reason listed was "mental health".

"Mental health?" She looked at her student. "Are you alright?"

Marinette twisted her fingers for a minute before replying. "I'm… Not really. I've got a lot on my plate. Commissions, applications and preparations for summer internships, and applying to lycèe programs for next year are all vying for my time. And my class representative duties are getting lost in the shuffle."

"Why didn't you come to me sooner? Has Alya not been helping you?"

"It's… I'm being bullied by my classmates, Mme. Bustier, and that includes Alya. T-they haven't been particularly subtle about it." Marinette lowered her head. "It's gotten bad enough that I'm hypervigilant and constantly feel like I'm akuma bait."

Caline blinked as if this was all new. "How have they been bullying you?"

The ravenette counted out several offenses on her fingers. "Kim has been purposely tripping me for weeks, someone defaced my locker, rumors have been flying about me questioning if my designs are truly mine or if they are stolen, and other less savory things. I've been threatened twice in the bathroom…not to mention the harassment I've been dealing with regarding Chloe for years. I've brought all of this to your attention many times...and nothing was done, nothing changed. I just...I can't do this anymore. And being class representative is just added to the stress I'm under. So… yeah. I want to resign."

Caline was silent for a long moment, trying to figure out how she could salvage this. What could she say to convince Marinette to hang on for the rest of the year? 

Nothing came to mind. Stress was a factor that could cause an akuma, as Troublemaker had shown. 

But what about the class? Would this turn into another akuma situation for them too? 

The one or the many. 

"Marinette, do you remember our conversation on my birthday, after Chloé… added to your gift?"

Marinette flinched as if struck. "You mean defaced my property before I could give it to you? Yes."

_That was unnecessary._ Caline thought but decided to ignore her tone due to how upset Marinette already was. "We still need Marinettes to show them a good example."

The dark haired girl's head snapped up to meet her teacher's gaze, her blue eyes blazing. "Pardon my frankness, Mme. Bustier, but how am I _not_ setting a good example by deciding to reduce my stress for the sake of my _health_?" She asked, her voice drenched in hurt and indignation. "I can't change them, that is something you pointed out about Chloé. I'm their _victim,_ their _target._ And I can't change their behavior. I _won't_ keep setting myself on fire to keep them warm. It's not my job to guide them." Marinette's voice rose and she pointed harshly at her teacher. " _It's yours!_ "

Caline stumbled back, shock coating her face. 

"By forcing me to be an example to my classmates, you have fostered an environment that I do not feel safe in, physically, mentally, and emotionally. And that doesn't include the number of akumas that have specifically targeted me from that class and how many times I've had to outrun butterflies because of the torment they've heaped on me." Tears were now streaming from Marinette's blue eyes. "I...I can't keep doing this, Mme. Bustier. Not at the risk of my own safety."

A familiar and frightening flutter sound filled the air. But Caline was frozen, unable to do anything as the purple wings fluttered towards Marinette.

" _Cataclysm!_ " A voice shouted from right behind Marinette and a clawed hand grabbed the butterfly from the air. Startled, the two ladies turned to look. 

Chat Noir opened his hand, letting the remains of a purple butterfly float harmlessly to the ground. His green cat eyes fixated on Marinette, wide and full of worry, his chest heaving as if he had run a marathon. "Marinette-" he started to say, but was cut off when the noir girl launched herself into his arms...and cried.

Suddenly, the weight of what had just happened hit Caline. She took a step back, her hand coming to her mouth. "Oh my gosh…" she whispered. 

That butterfly had been for Marinette. And unlike the last time the two had encountered an akuma together, she wasn't actively trying to help calm her student.

No, instead she had been fighting her. Attempting to persuade her out of a decision she had made with much thought and caused her misery. 

If Chat Noir hadn't been there…

~~*~~*~~

The superhero had wrapped the student in a tight embrace, pressing the girl into him as if to shield her from the world. His green eyes glared at Caline and his voice came out as a hiss. "Madame, please get the school nurse."

Caline's head bobbled in a jerky motion as she hurried over to her classroom to make the call. The door to her room was open and at least five pairs of eyes looked out at the scene before them. Alya had her phone out, no doubt taking pictures of the superhero in the hallway. "Alya," she snapped. "I strongly advise you to not show those pictures to anyone or post them _anywhere_. Including your blog, group chats, or private messages."

The auburn haired girl's eyes widened. "But-"

"No. French law states it is a punishable offence to take photos in non-public areas without authorized permission, and Marinette is a minor and not akumatized. You could get into serious legal trouble should she, her parents, the school, or the police find that you posted without her permission. I would like you to read up on French journalism laws and ethics, we will meet at lunch to discuss it further." She pushed past her students and grabbed the school phone, dialing for the nurse. "Hello, Mme. Blanchet? It's Caline. There has been an attempted akumatization of one of my students. Could you please… oui… merci."

As she put the receiver down, you could have heard a pin drop. Everyone was looking at the red haired teacher, each student had all had some variation of shock or horror expressions on their faces. 

Taking a deep breath, Caline then picked up her school phone again and dialed another number. "M. D'Argencourt? It's Caline. You don't have a class currently, oui? Could you come watch my students? An incident has occurred that I must attend to. … Oui. … Merci."

Taking a deep breath as she put down the receiver, Caline picked up a stack of papers and began handing them out. "This is today's assignment. I expect it to be completed by the end of the period. You may use your textbook and discuss answers among yourselves, but I suggest you start immediately since you'll only have forty-five minutes before the bell." She looked around, frowning as she counted her students. "Where is Adrien?"

Nino cleared his throat. "He had to take an urgent phone call from his father's assistant."

The teacher nodded and placed a worksheet on Adrien's desk. "Hopefully he returns quickly to complete his work."

"What about Marinette?" Lila asked sweetly from the back. 

"She is excused from this assignment." At that moment, M. D'Argencourt entered the room. "Please begin your assignment. M. D'Argencourt will collect it when the bell rings." 

As Caline exited the room, she thanked Armand for coming quickly and hurried out into the hallway. Marinette and Chat Noir were not where she last left them, but after a moment, she saw the two walking beside Mme. Blanchet toward the nurse's office. 

Without a moment's hesitation, she followed suit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary of Caline and Marinette's argument: 
> 
> Mari submits her resignation, Caline questions why. Mari explains she is under a lot of stress with school work, preparations for Lycèe, commisions, and working at the bakery. Caline asks why she didn't come to her sooner and if Alya has been helping her. 
> 
> Mari reveals she is being physically and emotionally bullied by her classmates and that she brought these to Caline's attention multiple times and nothing was done. 
> 
> Caline gives her the same "we need Marinettes to be examples" argument.
> 
> Mari demands to know how her stopping being class rep for the sake of her health is being a bad example. She reminds Caline it is her job, as teacher, to guide students, not Mari. And that by making an example of her, Caline has fostered an environment in which Mari is hypervigilant and feels unsafe.
> 
> Cue butterfly and Chat cataclysms it out for the air like in Chat Blanc (without revealing his identity). 
> 
> Chat and Mari hug. Chat orders Caline to call for the nurse.


	4. Everybody has Opinions and Chloé Appears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of Marinette's new akumatization, Adrien protects his friend's belongings and gets annoyed with his friends.
> 
> Chloé corners the Sunshine boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Language warning: shit, bullshit,

Mme. Bustier's class had a very hard time focusing on their assignment. Each table was a flutter of talk about what had happened to their classmate.

" _Marinette was almost akumatized?"_

_"Why? What would she be upset about?"_

_"Does it have something to do with why she is dressed differently?"_

_"Hey Juleka! Isn't she wearing your brother's jacket?"_

_"Yeah. They've been dating for a few weeks now."_

Lila, who remained silent, practically preening at the potential rumor fodder that the class was generating on their own. She didn't have to lift a finger this time.

The class would destroy her rival themselves.

~~~~~

Adrien hated to leave Marinette in the nurse's office, but his timer ended and Plagg said he was too tired to transform, even after eating his cheese. The emotional strain was clear on the cat kwami and Adrien decided to not push his luck.

Especially after Marinette told him to go, that she would talk to him later if he stopped by. That she would be okay now that she was with Mme. Blanchet.

Adrien wasn't familiar with the nurse, but she was a kindly middle-age woman who had called Mme. Cheng after getting Marinette settled and reassured him that she was in good hands in her care.

Because he delayed as long as possible, only leaving after placing a kiss on his friend's knuckles and being reassured for the nth time that she would be safe, he barely made it into the restroom before he transformed back. After a minute to attempt to collect himself before facing his peers and splashing some cool water on his face, Adrien stepped out and headed to his class.

"She'll be okay, kid." Plagg whispered from his shirt pocket. "You did good."

"I saved her this time,” Adrien confirmed, handing the cat kwami a piece of cheese. “But what if I'm not there the next time?"

Plagg placed a comforting paw on his Chosen's chest. "We can only do our best, Adrien. If that happens, we'll save her. That's what we do."

Adrien took a shaky breath and pushed open the door to his classroom.

M. D'Argencourt sat at Mme. Bustier's desk. "Agreste, everything alright?"

The blonde nodded. "Yes, I just had to take a call from my father's assistant."

The physical education teacher nodded and gestured for the blonde to sit. Adrien did and Nino gave him a look.

"You good, bro?"

Adrien cleared his throat and tried to smile genuinely. "Yeah, Nathalie just wanted to confirm some things for the fittings this week."

Nino raised an eyebrow. "And she couldn't have asked you that during lunch or when you got home?"

The blonde shook his head and looked over the worksheet on his desk. "The seamstress has a very tight schedule and she needed the answers immediately. It was a three way call." It wasn't a lie. He did have to take the call. But it was only a minute long and just involved him verbally confirming.

"Dang…" Nino whispered.

It was silent between the two friends for several moments as the teens attempted to work on the worksheet, but Adrien could hear whispers behind him. Unlike when he was transformed, his hearing was as good as any other human, so he couldn't pick up exactly what was being said. But he could take a guess about two things: it regarded his Princesse and it probably wasn't flattering.

But out of his peripheral vision, he could see Alya and Nino attempting to communicate without getting his attention. He tried to ignore it for a few questions on the assignment before he turned sharply toward his best friend and his girlfriend. "What!" His voice in a whisper, but his tone low and dangerous.

Nino and Alya stared at him like deer caught in headlights. 

"You don't have to hide your conversation, you know. If you want to talk, just talk. Better yet, Nino, why don't you go sit with Alya. That way we can all get this assignment done without bothering each other."

Nino and Alya looked at each other almost shamefully. The aspiring DJ stood and grabbed his bag before going to Marinette's vacated seat. Adrien turned and grabbed Marinette's backpack, internally vowing to guard her belongings if he couldn't guard her person. 

"Adrien you don't need to hold onto Mari's things." Alya piped up. "She'll probably be back by the end of the period."

Adrien blinked. "Where did she go?"

Alya blanched at the question. Adrien as Chat Noir of course knew where Mari was. Technically, Adrien Agreste had no idea where his dark haired friend was or what had happened.

"Nurse's office," Nino replied. "I think she wasn't feeling well this morning."

_No shit_. Adrien thought. "Oh. Well I can still hold onto her bag since we both have maths next period."

Alya looked like she was going to argue, but Nino shook his head at her. The Ladyblogger sighed and conceded with a nod. "Thanks, Adrien. I'm sure she will appreciate it."

The blonde flashed one of his model grins before placing Marinette's backpack between his feet and returned to the assignment.

~~~~~

Marinette didn't return after the bell and when Adrien went to the nurse's office, he found that Marinette had gone home.

He couldn't risk transforming to deliver her bag as that would be a misuse of his Miraculous, and he didn't trust leaving her bag in _her_ locker, especially with Lila hovering somewhere in the crowd. So he subtly and carefully placed Marinette's backpack in his locker and made sure the lock was firm.

Doing his best to not be suspicious, he headed quickly to maths, his eyes searching to make sure none of his peers noticed where he had stored Marinette's bag, especially looking out for his classmates.

He didn't count on Chloé ambushing him.

The heiress grabbed his arm while in the hall and walked briskly beside him. In a low voice so they couldn't be overheard by the crowd, her voice dripped with venom. "Why are you suddenly Dupain-Chang's guard dog?"

"Good day to you too, Chloé." He shot back, more out of surprise than actual agitation. _More of a guard Chat, thank you very much._

Her blue eyes turned on him. "Answer the question, Agreste. You've been either oblivious or ignorantly participating in hurting that poor girl for weeks and all of a sudden you are guarding her belongings and barking at Cesaire, Rossi, and Lahiffe? And you don't expect someone to question that?"

Only Chloé noticed his shoulders deflate minutely. "I messed up. I didn't realize it was this bad until last night. I...I can't keep watching this happen to her."

She patted his arm, almost kindly. "About time you came to your senses, Adrien. Honestly I was worried that you had drunk Lila's poison."

Adrien blinked at his childhood friend. "How long have you known?"

Chloé rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Adrien. I could smell bullshit when Lie-la first opened her mouth. She may be a good liar, but I grew up with and around them, some even better than her."

The model nodded. "Do you know what happened?"

The heiress smirked and gave him a knowing look, but Adrien didn't cave. "She was almost akumatized. Why? I have a guess, but there are too many rumors going around to be able to tell the truth. Only two people know for sure: Mme. Bustier and Marinette."

Chloé calling Marinette by her first name hammered home just how serious The Incident had been. The words stung the model, reminding him that he saved her this time… but next time he may not be so lucky.

And how many times had he been blissfully unaware and she fought the butterflies off alone?

"So, the next question is, what are you going to do now?" Chloé asked, her tone all business. "You could try running interference all you want, but that bad hair day has crossed lines even I didn't when I was the local bully, and you aren't here all the time leaving Dupain-Chang vulnerable."

"What have you been doing all this time?" Adrien plastered on a model smile as they passed some classmates who gave them odd looks.

"Running interference. Well, as best as I can without Sabrina. The witch snatched her up with promises of friendship of all things."

The model couldn't help but eyeroll, but he could hear the code.

_She's been dealing with her own issues. Miracle Queen was evidence enough of that._

He placed a hand over her's and squeezed lightly, silently letting her know he understood. He had been dealing with his own crap since Miracle Queen and the loss of Master Fu and their allies. "Personally, I was thinking of going full scorched earth."

Chloé blinked up at him, but Adrien wasn't looking at her. His eyes were focused somewhere in the middle distance, and while his expression was the model mask she had known for years, his eyes burned with a fire that could rival the sun. "While I agree, I have to ask: what did I miss?"

"I made a deal with the devil."

Chloé couldn't stop a laugh. "Really now? How did you not expect to get burned in that deal?"

"Oh, I go burned alright," Adrien's low voice was an odd mixture of self hatred and justified fury. "If I come out of this with Mari willing to look at me, or - if I dare to hope - forgive my stupidity, it will have all been worth it."

The heiress didn't need to ask what he meant, she could take a guess. And he was right. He had been an idiot for making a deal with the devil, but if he had finally pulled his head out of the sand she wasn't going to berate him too much.

He was already doing a damn good job of that himself. Anything more would be like salt in the wound. 

"Are you free to meet after school at the hotel?" She asked as they approached the Mme. Mendeleiev's classroom. 

"I have a free day, but I may have to sneak away. I'll text you when I know for sure." He replied calmly, glad she didn't ask him to come over at lunch. He already had plans.

Chloé nodded and let go of Adrien's arm before sauntering into the classroom like she owned the world. 

Adrien was in complete model mode: fake smile that looked real enough you'd have to be looking to see the fake, methodic walking, and emotionless eyes. 

They were both equally done with their class's bullshit.


	5. Nino's Confusion and Kagami's resolve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nino has questions about what is going on with his friends, but no real answers.
> 
> Mme. Bustier talks with Alya in regards to Marinette's safety.
> 
> Kagami wants in on how to help Marinette.
> 
> And Chloé reveals why she wants to help.

Besides the fact that he wore glasses, Nino was not, infact, blind. 

Something was up with Adrien, even if his best friend was trying to hide it. And that something had something to do with Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

From the moment he greeted his buddy at the steps of Françoise Dupont, the blonde had been out of it. Sure, he made eye contact and responded appropriately to everything, but something was just...off.

And it only got worse after he saw Marinette. The dark haired girl was early for once, earlier than the two boys, which in of itself was odd. But she was also dressed differently. Her hair wasn't in the typical twin tails, instead pulled into a single braid down the back of her head, and her usual white and pink was traded for black and mint green covered by a dark teal hoodie.

It took Nino an embarrassing amount of time to realize that the jacket belonged to Luka. He slapped himself when he recalled that the two were seeing each other as of a month or so ago. Wearing your boyfriend's jacket wasn't a weird relationship thing, after all, it was just weird to have confirmation of their relationship.

Because after months of pursuing Adrien, Marinette had suddenly stopped and started seeing Luka out of nowhere, at least from what he knew. Granted, Alya had been busy with projects to update him on Marinette's love life and he didn't really want to ask her himself, especially after how much their relationship had deteriorated in the last few weeks. 

Luka wasn't a bad guy, quite the opposite, and he was probably a good influence on Marinette.

At least, he thought so until Marinette started bullying Lila. 

Which had initially been a shock. He thought he had known her, since their history began when both of them were in diapers. 

But people change all the time. Maybe Marinette's decision to date Luka had been a warning sign that he should have been paying attention too. Maybe the Marinette he knew for years was just a lie, a ruse to make friends and win hearts only to turn on them when the wrong girl got attention from everyone. Or maybe Marinette had just decided she didn't want to be the nice, generous girl she had been since ecole.

At least that was what he thought until this morning.

Because while he was observing Adrien, he actually got a good look at Marinette. And the tells she was giving off were ones he had never seen her do before...and ones he was pretty sure couldn't be faked.

Her face flinched barely when Adrien spoke, her shoulders curled in on herself, her fingers were white knuckled as she gripped Luka's jacket like a lifeline. 

It was all so raw, but the wildness in her eyes was absolutely not faked. It didn't take long for her to notice that Nino was observing her, and she slowly shut down from there, pushing Adrien away.

_What the hell happened to Nettie?_

Clearly he had missed something. Something big that would change one of his oldest friends from a shy, but fiery person into… well... into the fearful and washed out girl before him.

And now Nino was paying attention.

Because Marinette's body language was screaming "don't hurt me", "I yield", and "I am prey". She was practically baring her throat to any attack that could come. Even if Adrien's intention was not to hurt her. Even if Nino wasn't close enough, nor possessed the desire, to hurt her.

And all of that was absolutely not the Marinette he knew or even the bully the rumors claimed she was. Sure, a bully could fake submission to garner sympathy... but the wildness in Marinette's eyes wasn't something easily faked, especially from a bad actor like the ravenette.

Something had happened.

Something bad.

And Nino was determined to find out what.

~~~~~

Marinette's near akumatization turned Nino's blood to ice and sent warning bells off in his head for hours, screaming at him that _something_ had gone too far, that something was beyond wrong and needed to be rectified _immediately_ , if it wasn't beyond repair. But what that something was he couldn't quite figure out.

And he was trying.

It was almost like he was missing a huge puzzle piece that would solve this. And he needed to find it quickly.

He could try to talk to Marinette at lunch. While he didn't know how close or how far in the akumazation process Papillon had gotten her, Nino could recall the exhaustion he felt after his time as Bubbler. He had wanted to sleep for three days and having hours of your life missing from your memory was truly disorienting. He figured Marinette would likely stay in the nurse's office until Tom or Sabine could get her and probably go home for the day.

_Maybe I can stop by the bakery during lunch. I'll need to figure out how to get Alya off my back first, though._

Nino loved his girl dearly, but he had a feeling if he went to talk to Marinette with Alya the noir girl would likely clam up. The two girls hadn't been on the best of terms for months now. Sure they talked, but it was nothing like the conversations they had earlier in the school year. Their distance had gotten worse a few weeks back during an argument.

_"Seriously, Mari, you need to let this jealousy thing go. Lila is a good person, she's shown the class as much. Why can't you see it?"_

_"Why do you think I'm jealous?"_

_"Because Lila likes Adrien and because she's done some amazing charity work."_

_"Alya...I'm dating Luka. Why would I be jealous of her liking Adrien when both of us are taken?"_

_"Like Adrien and Kagami are really in love."_

_"...That's pretty rude."_

_"You've had it out for Lila since the beginning. I don't get you, Mari. Why can you just let your grudge against her go?"_

_"Alya, we've talked about this. I don't have it out for her. She just bothers me and I'm not comfortable with-" Marinette's phone had buzzed at that moment and the noir haired girl pulled it out, pausing before looking sadly at her friend. "...I need to go. Maman asked me to make a delivery today."_

_"What?! We're not done talking!" Alya had seized Marinette's arm to keep her from running off. Marinette had stiffened, going still._

_"...please let me go."_

Nino had interfered then, knowing the conversation was going to keep spiralling. But that had been a sign he had ignored. Marinette's avoidance of Alya's touch, the wanting to be out of reach, had been going on for weeks then, at the very least.

As he tried to figure out a plan to sneak away at lunch, he noticed Chloé and Adrien enter the classroom. Chloé walked in as if she owned the world - which wasn't out of her norm - and Adrien as if he was in the biggest fashion show of his life - which was out of character.

He had seen his friend on the runway enough times to recognize his catwalk. But what really got Nino curious was the stoney glare the blonde was giving the world. 

It made him look more like Gabriel Agreste rather than the teen Nino knew.

_What the hell is going on today?_

~~~~~

Escaping at lunch proved to be very easy. He was able to slip away from his girlfriend since Alya had a meeting with Mme. Bustier to discuss the pictures the budding journalist took that morning. He didn't even have to make an excuse as to why he couldn't eat with her.

Escaping Lila had been a bit harder, but Nino had forgotten to bring his lunch so he would need to go home to eat. Lila had looked like she was going to object to that, but Mylene had asked her a question and Nino was able to sneak away.

Once outside, he started walking in the direction of Tom and Sabine's Boulangerie Patisserie, the smell wafting from the shop making his mouth water. He would be sure to get some kind of baked good while he was there to compensate for his strange lunch plan.

But what surprised him when he entered the establishment was Adrien standing at the counter, a genuine smile on his face, and Marinette's book bag in his hands. Sabine was smiling at him as if he had told a joke and gestured for the young man to pass her the pink backpack, which he did and ordered a couple of pastries. 

The whole interaction maybe took a minute, but Nino could see the worry lines by Sabine's eyes and Adrien nervously rubbing the back of his neck. But was it because of their conversation or because of the noir girl they both were likely concerned about?

Nino probably wouldn't be privy to that. Especially when Sabine's smile tightened when he approached the counter. 

Yeah he was definitely not going to be able to talk to Marinette today.

"Good afternoon, Nino," she greeted, her tone civil. "How are you?"

"Hi Mrs. C! I'm doing well." He replied with a genuine smile. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well," she answered quickly. "What can I get for you today?"

Nino ordered a couple of eclairs for himself and a macaron for Alya. He passed her the correct change and gave a happy farewell before exiting the establishment.

Talking to Marinette was going to be harder than he expected.

~~~~~

Alya sat before her teacher, her phone on the desk, her head bowed. She frowned at the wood of her desk. 

_Why the hell am I being treated like I did something wrong? I've always taken pictures of Ladybug and Chat Noir, and of dozens of akumas. How is this any different? Sure Marinette wasn't akumatized... but she almost was!_

Mme. Bustier sat in a chair she had pulled over, her kind blue eyes studying her student before speaking. "Alya, did you have a chance to review what I asked you to look up?" 

Alya nodded. She had indeed looked up the laws regarding journalism, consent, and photography. She had read them multiple times before today. Nothing had changed. She knew she needed permission to photograph someone. But she also knew that akuma reporting was different, as long as the person was in their akumasoma state. Marinette had never reached that point... but pictures of Chat Noir pouncing out of nowhere on the butterfly had been too enticing to delete.

"Do you understand why I'm concerned about you taking those pictures?" Her voice was too enticing to ignore. 

"Because Marinette is a minor and even though she was almost akumatized, she wasn't. And she never gave or had the chance to give permission for her picture being taken." 

Mme. Bustier nodded. "Yes. But also because Marinette is your friend, right? You wouldn't want her to take advantage of your moment of weakness, right?" 

Alya scoffed. "Like she hasn't done that with Lila..." She muttered, looking away. 

"What was that?" The red haired woman asked. 

The auburn haired girl turned, a deep frown set in her face. "Marinette is a _bully_ , Mme. Bustier. She doesn't _deserve_ to have her privacy protected." 

Mme. Bustier blinked. "Marinette is a _person_ , Alya, with flaws and dreams and hopes." She replied, her tone not as light as before. "And the moment we start talking about who deserves anything is the moment we all deserve nothing. Take Ladybug, for example. She's a superheroine, in the public eye, and is constantly photographed and followed by reporters. Yet, would you follow her to her home and expose who she was for the world to see? Even if it meant Papillion would find her?" 

"Th-That's completely different, Mme. Bustier!" 

The woman lifted an eyebrow. "Is it? Marinette wasn't akumatized. Chat Noir saved her. Think of the implications of that. Chat Noir saved this particular student at this particular school by literally using cataclysm to disintegrate the butterfly out of the air. Imagine what Papillion would do with that information." Her blue eyes hardened. "Imagine what he would do to your heroes with that information." 

Alya's eyes widened at the implication, her face paling. Papillion, the same super villian who akumatized a crying _baby_ and a _kid_ who had a nightmare just to get a pair of Miraculouses. The same emotional vampire who had sent the whole of Paris into chaos so frequently that policing your own emotions rather than experiencing them was now the new normal. The same man who she was confident watched her blog or at least knew of it. 

_Shit..._

"I hope you haven't shared those pictures with anyone." Mme. Bustier stated, her tone emphasising how serious she was. "The fact that you and several other students saw that and I've _heard_ the rumors means it's possible that Papillion may already _know_ what happened. Your classmate, your _friend_ is in _danger_ , Alya. Do not put her in a worse position than she already is." 

Alya snatched up her phone and immediately deleted the photos from her phones local memory and the cloud file. She'd ask Max what else she could do to eradicate the files completely. She couldn't risk them getting out. She couldn't risk Papillion getting this. She couldn't risk Ladybug and Chat Noir. 

Not when she could do something about it. 

~~~~~

The rest of the day passed pretty quickly for Adrien. Lunch was uneventful, classes were the usual (though he did make sure to take thorough notes to give to Marinette), and he was generally able to avoid the vice like grip of Lila, the strange looks from Alya, and the confused gaze of Nino.

Lila and Alya were clearly against Marinette, but Nino was a wild card. Given how much the DJ loved his friends he could prove a valuable ally….but his relationship with Alya could muddle that. The dude couldn't keep a secret from her to save his hide. And for now, Marinette's safety was Adrien's number one priority.

While he was still very concerned about Marinette, Sabine had divulged some valuable information into their brief conversation.

Luka was with Marinette. 

_Good. He may not have the snake Miraculous, but I can trust Viperion with my Princesse._

_Even if she isn't really mine._

As quickly as that thought came, he pushed it away. Marinette was happy with Luka and he was happy with Kagami. Her friendship was the prize he sought to keep. To prove to her that he was a worthy friend, if she would have him.

He carefully put the fencing mask on his head but didn't lower the shield as he exited the locker room. A flash of red caught his attention and he watched as his girlfriend walked over to him from across the way. 

The way she walked, with confidence and determination...it made his heart race. Tsurugi Kagami was truly a sight to behold.

"Adrien," she greeted, her tone serious, but a small smile adorned her face just for him.

"Good afternoon, Kagami," he replied, his hand reaching out to brush hers. She reciprocated the action and their fingers intertwined. "How are you?"

"I am well. And yourself?"

The blonde shrugged in a non-committal fashion. "I've been better."

Kagami frowned and leaned closer to him. "I heard some…things about Marinette today." Her voice darkened somewhat, her brown eyes stormy. "Is my friend alright? She hasn't answered any of my texts."

Adrien cleared his throat lightly. "When I spoke to her mom she was with Luka and safe. Besides that, I honestly don't know."

The red clad fighter nodded. "Luka will kee-"

"Agreste! Tsurugi!" The loud voice of M. D'Argencourt called. "Will you be joining us today?"

Both teens moved away from each other, a very light pink blush coating their cheeks at being caught distracted. "Apologise, M. D'Argencourt, we are coming." The blonde called out in order to smooth over the situation.

The coach nodded and lowered his mask to begin drills with the students. 

Kagami and Adrien walked over side by side, continuing their conversation in hushed tones and as quickly as possible.

"Luka will keep her calm."

"I'm meeting with Chloé later to discuss how we can help Marinette. The situation is much worse than I thought."

"Bourgeois wants to help Marinette? You'll keep me informed? I can't get away tonight."

"Of course."

Unfortunately they had to cut their conversation short as they were called to the mat to duel.

And for the first time in a while, Adrien defeated Kagami soundly.

~~~~~

Later that evening, after a light dinner, Adrien complained of a headache and informed Nathalie that he would turn in early and sleep it off. She had asked him if he would like any pain medication, but he had declined as it "wasn't too terrible yet" and promised her that he would request some if it did get bad.

Once the door to his room was shut, he quickly did the last remaining worksheet he needed to complete for tomorrow before gathering a few items to bring to Chloé's. He sent a text saying he was able to get away and could be there in the next hour or so.

Chloé: Great. The sooner you get your butt over here the faster we can figure out our plan of attack.

Adrien locked his phone, sliding it into his pocket, closed his satchel and slung it across his shoulders before turning to Plagg.

"Does this count as abuse of the Miraculous?" He asked cautiously, as he turned off the lights. 

Plagg huffed, swallowing another large wedge of camembert. "This is to help your Princesse against that sausage haired witch, right? Absolutely not an abuse of your powers." The cat's green eyes glared at him in the darkness of the room. "No one messes with Mullo's mice."

Adrien nodded and held out his hand. "Plagg, transform me!"

A brief flash of green light, a locked door and an opened window later, Chat Noir vaulted into the night. 

~~~~~

Adrien arrived at the hotel not too long later. He would have gotten there sooner, but he had wanted to check up on his Princesse. He made three passes by Marinette's balcony as he bounded towards the hotel, circling carefully around the block.

All three times she wasn't on the balcony proper, but he could see her walking around her room from a slight distance the first two times. He hadn't been sure if Luka was still there until he saw the teal haired teen exit the bakery on Chat's second pass. 

On the third pass, Marinette's light was off and he hoped she would sleep soundly tonight. 

In an alleyway not too far from the hotel, he called off his transformation. He had packed two extra tins of cheese for Plagg in his bag and handed his kwami his phone and headphones, stressing to the black cat that he could watch whatever he wanted so long as he was quiet.

His kwami had quietly dove into the satchel as Adrien crossed the street and entered the hotel. He waved to the guy at the desk, mentioning he was headed to see Chloé and entered the elevator. One very long trip up, and he was at her suite.

Chloé opened the door before he could knock and rolled her eyes muttering. "Looks like you finally escaped the tower. It's completely ridiculous for you to make me wait, Adrikins. Utterly ridiculous. "

Adrien copied the gesture. "Oh, I wish I had Rapunzel's locks. Officially, I'm home sleeping off a headache."

The heiress clapped. "About damn time you rebelled."

_Oh you have no idea._

Chloé led him into her suite and the model set down his satchel on the table between the couches. After a moment he pulled out a pair of flash drives and a notebook.

"So, do you have a plan in mind or are we starting from scratch?" Adrien asked politely. 

In answer, Chloé pressed a button on the remote for her smart TV, powering on the screen to reveal a document containing a very detailed list of Lila's lies and promises. It was organized into columns: the lie or promise, who was affected, if legal action could be taken, and who would be needed to provide evidence.

Adrien let out a low whistle. "How long have you been working on this, Chlo?"

"About two months."

Adrien blinked, turning to meet her blue eyes. 

"As I said before, I could smell her bullshit."

"But that doesn't usually spur someone to create a take down list."

Chloé shifted under his gaze, uncomfortable and uncertain. Two things he would have never thought he would see the heiress openly feel. She opened and closed her mouth a few times before finally speaking.

"I witnessed...something. I couldn't stop it from happening, but it opened my eyes. And these… protective instincts just… kicked in. I-I know I'm not Queen B anymore, and never will be, but it was like someone was hurting my hive and I just couldn't let that...that _vixen_ get away with it."

Adrien blinked. He was aware that the Miraculous sometimes had side effects, but he had figured that would happen mostly with Ladybug and himself. Chloé was the only temporary holder to hold on to a Miraculous for a long period of time (Adrien's time as Aspik not factored in) and Adrien could tell that she and Pollen had bonded to a degree. 

Which made Ladybug's promise that she would never be Queen B again all the more tragic. He had been separated from Plagg twice and while it was temporary, it had been a mental ache that only eased when the cat kwami had been returned to him.

He placed an understanding hand on Chloé's arm. "I understand."

She tilted her head slightly, questioning.

"I… when I finally woke up to what Lila was doing, a similar protective urge kicked in. Not like a bee protecting it's hive, obviously, but more like my territory had been invaded." He sighed. "You know school is the only place I can be myself, and even that is restricted. I've had a feeling that someone has been spying on me for my father. So paired with what's going on with Mari…" he trailed off, not really sure how to continue. 

Both of them stood there, uncomfortable at the vulnerability that lay between them, silent for several seconds.

Chloé tapped her cheeks. "Well. We better get down to reviewing this. Maybe you can add things I've missed. We'll also need allies in this fight, especially if we are going to burn this liar's kingdom to the ground."

Adrien nodded, shaking himself from his thoughts. "I have two in mind. First, Kagami. She asked me about Mari at fencing. The two of them are friends and she wants to help Mari as much as she can."

The heiress tapped her chin, considering before nodding. "Tsurugi would be a good asset. She has connections that you and I might not. Also she's not the Ice Queen for nothing."

Unsure how he felt about his girlfriend being called the Ice Queen, he gave his childhood friend a small, stern glare. "That's my girlfriend you're talking about."

"Oh buzz off. She's had that nickname for years. But I'll do my best to not butt heads with her since Rossi is our target."

That was probably the best he was going to get. With an eye roll he continued. "Second, Luka could help too."

"Luka? Luka Couffaine?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Taking a deep breath, Adrien rubbed the back of his neck. "I went to the Dupain-Cheng's bakery today. Sabine said the only person Marinette wants to see right now is Luka. So, if we need to get evidence or information on just how much Lila has hurt her, he may be our best asset. Plus, he's her boyfriend, and least likely to get burned under legal scrutiny."

Chloé nodded. "Adrien, I know you said before that you want to burn this witch, but we are going to have to be careful to not get too hurt in the crossfire. You did make a deal with her. She can still use that against you."

"Unless she recorded me without my permission, which I believe is illegal in Paris since both parties would need to consent to record, it's her word against mine if she brings it up. We didn't sign a contract or anything like that." Adrien replied carefully. "But you are right. We need to be going for justice, not revenge."

The heiress nodded. "Hand me those flash drives. I'll copy my notes and we can get to work."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I think I mentioned in the comments that Caline Bustier will not be getting a redemption here. Well that may have turned into a she does, but everything is done way too late for it to be as effective as it should be and it is going to come back to bite her. 
> 
> I have a serious issue with her. She's a teacher, an adult. And yet she actively encourages Marinette to keep letting Chloé walk all over her for the sake of showing her an example. That's not how you deal with bullies. And that is absolutely not what Caline's training as a teacher in France says is a method she should use against bullying. So she is going to face those consequences, even as she tries to change now.
> 
> I'll go into depth about my issue with Alya later, especially after her chat here regarding those pictures.
> 
> I'm still undecided if Nino will get redemption here or not. I think he may, but like with Caline it's too little too late, especially since he was on the sidelines the whole time. He's the turtle for goodness sake, and when the cards were down, he didn't raise his shield when he should have. So we'll see where that goes.
> 
> Also someone asked me when the rest of the class may collectively figure out when they screwed the pooch on this, and honestly, I hope they do before the end. But it will be slow, and almost a trickle of realizations rather than one huge shocking revelation.
> 
> Anyway! Thanks for reading and I'll see you tomorrow!


	6. In Which Action is Taken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien sneaks out to be with his Princesse.
> 
> The Dupain-Chengs bring a certain Chat with them to make a very important report.

_Tuesday_

When Adrien's alarm blared at 06:00, the blonde jumped out of bed and set his plan in motion.

He had exactly two hours before he would need to meet with the Dupain-Chengs and he hoped this ruse would work. 

In fifteen minutes, Nathalie would arrive to begin her day at the Agreste home. She wouldn't come to his room until about 07:00. She would, however, check on him earlier than that if he had been sick the night before. Which he planned to use for his benefit. 

But before she arrived, he needed to get things in order. 

First, he grabbed a change of clothes, his robe, and a backpack he never used as a civilian and put them in his bathroom. He quickly stripped down and hopped in the shower, knowing he wouldn't be able to use it inconspicuously after Nathalie arrived. After a quick, but thorough, wash and rinse, he toweled off and pulled on his t-shirt, underwear, and shorts. He opted for one of his less frequented but "Gabriel approved" outfits and one that could be hidden well under a robe. 

After pulling on his robe and deeming himself satisfactory, he ran a comb through his hair so it looked semi bed head - ish. With any luck, it would be dry enough to pass when Nathalie came to check on him. 

Placing his dirty clothes in the hamper and his backpack under the countertop in the bathroom, he headed back to the bedroom. Gently, he picked up the sleeping Plagg and moved him to the backpack where he had stashed several rounds of camembert.

The last part of his plan would be a bit more difficult to pull off. A little bit of luck was needed and he had gotten some in the form of the semi-dark circles naturally under his eyes. He had stayed up a few hours after returning from Chloé's to review what she had and he would credit his haggard look to that. The shower hadn't changed much in that regard and he honestly was still tired.

Taking a look at the time, he turned off all the lights and laid down on his bed, pulling his blanket up to cover most of his robe. Now all he had to do was wait.

He didn't have to wait long.

A soft knock came at the door. 

Adrien let out a semi-quiet moan and flung his arm over his eyes. Feigning a headache.

The door clicked quietly open and Nathalie poked her head in. He couldn't see her, but he could hear her footsteps as she walked in. He let out a soft groan again, moving his arm from his eyes and flinching at the light. 

It wasn't too much of an act. He had been in complete darkness long enough for his eyes to adjust to it.

"Nath?" He asked, his voice choppy from sleep.

The older woman approached. "How are you feeling, Adrien?"

"My head is bothering me." He replied and covered his eyes again, feigning photosensitivity. 

"Is it worse than last night?"

He nodded. "I took some ibuprofen around…ten last night, but I kept tossing and turning. I kept it dark and quiet…but I guess that didn't help me much."

"Do you think you'll feel better in the next hour?"

"Doubtful. I could try to go to school, but I wouldn't be at the top of my game...and with the fittings and all tomorrow…"

Nathalie stopped him. "I think a day of rest would be beneficial. You'll stay home today and I'll contact Françoise Dupont about your absence. I'll also cancel your Chinese and Piano for today."

"Thanks, Nathalie. Would it be alright if I slept some more? I'm not feeling particularly hungry."

"Of course. I'll inform the cook to make you something light when you are feeling up to eating. No one will disturb you." She made her way to the door. "Anything else?"

"Could you let my father know? I hope to be at 100% tomorrow."

"I will and I'm sure he'll agree that a day of rest will be more than beneficial. Get some rest, Adrien, we'll talk when you are feeling better."

"Thank you, Nathalie. You are a lifesaver."

Without verbally responding, the dark-haired woman made her exit. 

Adrien waited several minutes before getting up to check on Plagg. The kwami waited for him on the countertop, munching on a piece of cheese.

"Well?"

Adrien broke out in a grin and whispered. "I have the whole day to myself. No one will disturb me due to my headache."

The kwami gave a toothy grin. "That's my kitten."

"Are you almost ready? We are probably going to be transformed for several hours."

"Give me ten minutes and then we can go."

Adrien nodded, pulled out his phone, and headed back to his room. He pulled up Chloé's contact and sent a brief message.

_Adrien: Woke up with a killer headache. I won't be at school today._

Surprisingly, Chloé replied not too long after.

_Chloé: np I got things here. don't know if DC is coming in today or not. Thanks for the heads up._

_Adrien: np. Ask Kagami if you need a hand_

Chloé replied with a thumbs up and Adrien switched to Nino's contact.

_Adrien: bro i've got an AWFUL headache not coming in today._

Nino took a lot longer to reply. 

_Nino: that sux man. :/ Do you want me to send you the homework?_

_Adrien: that would be awesome._

_Nino: can do get well soon_

_Adrien: thanks, man. I owe you_

And lastly, he fired a text off to Kagami. He was pretty sure she wouldn't have her phone for a while, but he didn't want her to be blindsided.

_Adrien: Good morning, Kagami. I hope you slept well. The meeting went well last night. But I woke up with a killer headache and won't be in today. I will probably sleep most of the day, so if I don't reply timely, that's why. Have a great day. <3 _

When there was no reply for several minutes, Adrien locked his phone and set it on his bedside table. He wasn't going to be using it today, so it was best to leave it behind. Heading to the bathroom, he checked on Plagg, who gave him a thumbs up. With a nod, he called on his transformation, slung his backpack on, and after opening the bathroom window, Chat Noir leaped out into the dawning city.

~~~~~

Marinette was doing her best to not fiddle with her shirt as she waited on her balcony. Chat wasn't late…but she couldn't help the pit of anxiety that had grown since the night before. It had been hard to eat anything that morning and she had woken up thirty minutes before the alarms, showing just how worried about this meeting she was. 

Tikki had convinced her the night before to wear something new for the meeting with the Board, so she was wearing a pale pink button-up blouse with flowy, mid-arm sleeves and a gray knee-length pencil skirt, paired with nude tights and pink ballet flats. 

She had been unsure what to do with her raven hair until Tikki had grabbed Mullo from the miracle box and the mouse kwami had teared up before nuzzling her guardian. Marinette had then realized she had dressed in Multimouse colors, unintentionally. But with that in mind, she tied her hair up into high twin buns. 

Mullo had cooed at that before receiving a kiss from the girl and headed back to the box.

Tikki had smiled at her Chosen. "You made Mullo's day."

But that had been an hour ago.

Now, as she stared out over the city illuminated by the rising sun, she tried to spot Chat leaping over the rooftops. Tikki sat on her shoulder, munching on a macaron. 

"He'll be here soon." The ladybug kwami said with confidence. "He did promise."

Marinette gripped the railing and lowered her head. "I know. I just… after yesterday…"

Tikki rubbed a gentle paw on the girl's cheek. "It's okay to not be okay. And you did the right thing telling Mme. Bustier what you said. It's not your fault that Papillon takes advantage of you or anyone else's emotions. It's his." The kwami kissed her Chosen's cheek. "You are allowed to have emotions and to express them. We'll handle an akuma if it comes, together and with Chat Noir, okay?"

Marinette reached up and rubbed the ladybug kwami's cheek. "Thank you, Tikki. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Tikki nuzzled her fingers before returning to her treat. 

Not too long after, she caught sight of a black form streaked across the rooftops, leaping and bounding in the direction of her balcony. "Tikki, time to hide." Marinette opened her purse and, with another cheek kiss, the kwami dove into the purse with her treat. 

Chat was a roof over when Marinette turned to face him. She smiled as best she could and waved. 

He was too far away for her to see his facial expression, but he took a running leap and performed a front flip before landing on her railing with catlike grace. 

His green eyes sparkled as he smiled at her. "Good morning, Princesse!" He greeted, his eyes widened as he took her in and he gasped dramatically. "Multimouse!" He squealed. "I love your choice of outfit today, Princesse. Multimouse was my favorite temporary hero, after all."

A hot and deep blush flooded her cheeks. "R-really?" She squeaked. 

"Of course!" Chat got off the railing, his smile softening into a genuine one. "You came up with a _paw_ -some plan, freed all those kwami, used Plagg's ability like a _chat,_ and captured the akuma without breaking a sweat. Oh! And Plagg sang your praises for _days_. So obviously you are my favorite."

Marinette shyly looked at her feet, rubbing her toe across the ground in front of her. "But I revealed my identity. I did the one thing I shouldn't have."

Chat rested a clawed hand on her shoulder and when she didn't look up, his other hand cupped her chin to lift her eyes to his. "Every single holder has made at least one error during their time as a hero. Heck, I used my power on a goal post and then thought I could use it again during Stoneheart and Ladybug didn't know about cleansing the akuma on her first go." He removed his hand from her chin and placed it to mirror the other on her shoulder. "What I'm saying is, if the only error you made was revealing your identity to me, then you did a- _mew_ -zing, Marinette."

Even with the pun at the end, Marinette was stunned. Her mouth opened but no sound emerged for a few seconds. She swallowed thickly as her vision blurred with tears. "T-thank you, Chat."

Chat Noir gave her a very gentle smile, nothing like the smirks or grins that usually graced his face, hammering home that he wasn't joking. He was completely serious and it warmed the ravenette's aching heart. He pulled her into a hug. "You're welcome, Princesse."

Marinette hugged him back and for several moments, it was wonderful.

"Hey, kids!" A male voice called from Marinette's bedroom. "Ready to go?"

The two jumped apart and Chat lifted his arm to scratch the back of his neck out of habit. "We better be off."

"Yeah. Let's go!"

~~~~~

To say that the man - who probably wasn't upper than 30 - assigned to do the intake for Marinette's case was taken aback was an understatement. 

Marinette had informed her parents that Chat would be joining them, but they had not informed the board. And the look on the poor man's face when he walked into the lobby to bring them to the interview room and saw four people when he expected three, and that the fourth was one of the superheroes of Paris, was priceless. 

After calming the man down and confirming Chat Noir was indeed himself and that this wasn't a prank, the young man - named M. Damian George - took down detailed notes and expressed that the board would take the claims seriously.

"When do you think they will begin the investigation?" Sabine asked after they had given their statements and paperwork. 

"I cannot give a specific date, however, I can say that we have received several concerning reports regarding Françoise Dupont in the last few months. I believe the preliminary investigation may have already begun, but yours and any other reports are wanted and will strengthen the case." He turned his gaze on Marinette. "If you know of anyone else at school that is having issues, please send them our way. I'm going to give all four of you my card. It has my direct line and my email as well as your case number, so don't give it away or lose it." 

Marinette bit her lip, considering before speaking up. "M. George, I have a question about where I can recommend someone to report."

George looked up and gestured for her to continue. 

The noir haired girl began fiddling with her fingers. "A classmate of mine… I'm worried he may be being sexually harassed by another classmate."

George quickly wiped out a fresh piece of paper from his notebook. "Do you feel comfortable giving me the bare bones of the situation. No names are needed, I just want to get an idea of the situation to see if it qualifies as sexual harassment and not something else."

Mari met the eyes of her parents and Chat for a moment and waited for them to give an encouraging sign. They all did a moment later: her mother giving a proud-looking nod, her father smiled warmly, and Chat looked kind of quizzical but nodding nonetheless.

Taking a deep breath, Mari looked back to M. George and spoke. "This girl in my class likes to invade my friend's personal space. She'll grab his arm very aggressively and will dig her fingernails into him when he does something she doesn't like. Once, while not on school property, she took a picture of her kissing him without his consent and sent it to his friends. Another mutual friend was akumatized as a result. She also likes to...drape herself on him and he looks very uncomfortable when she does. In my presence alone he had told her to let go or back off at least a dozen times, which she either ignores or plays off. I'm…" her voice went quiet. "I'm worried about him."

"That is sexual harassment." M. George stated, meeting Marinette's eyes. "Has anyone interfered? Have any of the teachers?"

"None that I can recall. I don't have every class with them, so I wouldn't know if any of the other teachers have. But our homeroom teacher has witnessed it directly multiple times and has done nothing."

M. George wrote something down on the paper and then pulled out another business card and wrote a phone number and a website on the back of it. He held it out to her. "If your friend wants to report with me, he is more than welcome to email or call me. The number I have added is an anonymous hotline for reporting sexual harassment and assault. The website has resources on what to do if he would like to take further action. Here in France, we have a zero-tolerance for sexual harassment and assault in our schools."

Marinette took the card and held onto it for dear life before placing it in her small, ever-present purse.

"Any other questions?" M. George looked at each of the four before looking back to Marinette. "Marinette, I want to thank you for being brave enough to come forward, not only for yourself, but for your friends, and classmates. I cannot pass judgment, but I can say that your experience at Françoise Dupont is not what we want our students to experience, especially with Papillon around. If there is anything else I can do for you, please let me know."

They all stood and shook hands before M. George escorted them out. 

~~~~~

When they exited the building, Tom placed a warm hand on Chat's shoulder. "Thank you for coming with us, son. While I'm sure they would have taken Mari's case seriously regardless, having you there may push them to act sooner rather than later."

_Does he call every male younger than him "son"?_ The hero briefly wondered before replying. "I'm really glad I could help and that Mari confided in me. Ladybug and I have discussed concern about Françoise Dupont in the past, but I couldn't have not acted now. I'm…" he looked down at his hands. "I'm just sorry I didn't act sooner."

Sabine gave her daughter a hug and Chat Noir a smile. "Well, it is done now. Let's put the 'could've', 'would've' and 'should've' out of our minds and have a good breakfast. All four of us." She added, looking pointedly at the hero.

"I wouldn't want to impose."

"And we wouldn't want to interrupt anything he has going on, Maman." Marinette added, biting her lip worriedly.

"It's not imposing if we invited you." The older Asian woman replied with a smirk. "And baozi, I wouldn't force him to join us, even if he could."

Chat sighed good-naturedly and checked his baton for the time. He had maybe two hours before he'd probably want to eat something his cook made. "I have time. I'd be happy to join you for breakfast."

"Great!" Tom said and guided his girls and the cat to their vehicle. "I know just the place!"

"The place" happened to be a small, in the wall cafe that Chat had never been to before, but they made excellent crêpes.

It was such a wonderful feeling, spending breakfast with others. While Adrien was glad that he could spend lunch with his friends at school on days with no photoshoots, the warmth that came from enjoying a meal with the Dupain-Chengs was otherworldly to the superhero.

The smiles, the light teasing, the genuine interest in each other's lives simultaneously warmed and broke his heart. He was so glad that his friend had this, that her parents were so open and warm with her.

But there was also this cold ache that was in the shape of his own family in his chest. With his mother gone and his father growing more distant...

Pushing those thoughts away, Chat focused on another uncomfortable thought: the student dealing with sexual harassment and trying to discover his identity. Maybe he could help!

His arm had begun to itch when she had mentioned the girl digging her nails into the boy's arms. Lila had done the same to him and she had invaded his space...but he was used to that and could handle it. 

It had to be someone else. He wondered if Marinette would tell him if he asked. 

Setting that thought aside for later, he turned his attention back to the Dupain-Chengs and laughed as Tom put a dollop of whip cream on his daughter's nose.

Even if he couldn't have this all the time, it was wonderful to be with them now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To anyone who is being sexually harassed or thinks someone you know is being sexually harassed, please speak up. Tell someone you trust, an adult, someone in authority, Human Resources, a hotline, someone. You are not alone and people will help you. Stay safe out there, friends.


	7. Lila's Attempt and Nino's Exasperation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lila decides to take advantage of a missing Marinette.
> 
> Nino gets fed up.

Something was up.

Alya could almost _sense_ it the moment she walked into school that morning. 

Something was just...off. And it _bugged_ her like a bad itch she couldn't get rid. Each minute ticked by until the bell rang making it worse and worse. 

Shortly after the first bell, Mme. Bustier clapped to get the class' attention for morning announcements. "Good morning, everyone. Before we begin, I wanted to talk with you briefly about yesterday." The red-haired teacher stated, her eyes clear.

That caught everyone's attention.

"Yesterday, Marinette revealed to me that she has been struggling to manage her duties as a class representative with her responsibilities and has submitted her resignation. Effective immediately, she will no longer be our class representative. Until we can have elections, Alya, as Marinette's deputy, will fill in. If you are interested in becoming our class representative, please see me after class."

There was a moment of silence before the class erupted. Alix and Sabrina the clearest among the shouts and exclamations of shock and disappointment.

"What the hell?" Alix raged. "Seriously? She can't just abandon her job like that!"

"Good riddance," Sabrina mumbled loud enough to be heard. "She wasn't that great anyway."

Mme. Bustier clapped loudly over the din. "THAT'S ENOUGH!" she called her tone sharper and harder than usual, silencing the class who stared at her, some slack-jawed. "I would hope that if any of you were close to akumatization due to stress that you would want to hear the encouragement of those around you to take a break. Marinette has poured blood, sweat, and tears into preparing wonderful treats, birthday parties, surprises, and trips for all of you to enjoy, even when it wasn't in her job description to do so. She voluntarily did things to make your school time fun and enjoyable." She looked at each of her students in the eye, boring into Alya's in particular. "You would do well to remember what a good friend she has been to each of you in your time of need. And pay her the same kindness."

After a few quiet seconds, Chloé (of all people) raised her hand. When she was called on she asked. "Mme. Bustier, have you heard from Marinette? Is she okay?"

Mme. Bustier's face was tight. "Not since yesterday. But her mother informed me that she would not be here today. Would someone volunteer to take detailed notes for her?"

Chloé's hand immediately shot up.

"Thank you, Chloé." Mme. Bustier smiled and turned to her chalkboard. "Please turn to page…"

Alya's mind was spinning, a part of her feeling like this was all a continuation of her conversation with the teacher the day before. Of how Mme. Bustier had insisted that Marinette's privacy was important. Of how Marinette mattered. Of how she wanted the budding journalist to remember that at one point the two had been friends and that Marinette had been _incredibly_ kind to her and their classmates.

But why? Why did she insist on telling Alya this when clearly Marinette wasn't that person anymore?

Why bring it up when Marinette barely talked to her anymore? Why bring it up when Marinette barely put any effort into being polite to Lila, instead choosing to run off?

_Why does it matter at all?_

"Alya." Mme. Bustier's voice rang in her ears. "Could you please read the next passage for us?"

She tried to push those thoughts away and focus on the lessons.

At least until lunch.

Lila was sitting across from Alya and Nino as they all munched happily on their lunches between small snippets of conversation. 

The Italian kept eyeing her, in what Alya assumed was supposed to be subtle. On any other day, she would have waited for the brunette to spill on her own, but the side glances were grating her nerves.

"Alright girl," the auburn-haired girl started, looking at her friend hard in the face. "Spill."

The Italian began to play with her hair. "I-I don't know if I should say..."

The reporter lifted a careful eyebrow at that. "Has that ever stopped you from telling your non-superhero bestie?"

"Well, no…" she replied shyly. "It's just...I can't stop wondering if…"

"If?"

"If Marinette is cheating on Luka with Chat Noir…"

Alya dropped her sandwich, ignoring it as it fell to the ground, ruined. " _What?_ "

Something in the honey eyed girl's tone must have made her friend flinch. "Well, it's just that…you saw the way he was holding her in the hall yesterday, right? Almost possessively? He's never done that with anyone, right?"

"Ladybug," Nino's voice choked out. "He's done that with Ladybug, and Kagami after Oni-Chan, right?" 

"And he loves Lady-" The Italian gasped, eyes wide with horror. "That minx! Could she be secretly seeing him on the side? He hasn't been as affectionate with Ladybug in a while, has he, Alya?"

Alya's eyebrows furrowed together as she mentally reviewed all of Chat and Ladybug's recent public interactions. Chat Noir was less flirtatious and more serious during akumas since at least Chameleon, but absolutely since the aftermath of Miracle Queen. 

Right around the same time, Marinette started seeing Luka.

Alya blinked. _Wait...what if…_

Nino's elbow came flying out of nowhere and tapped her in the ribs, stopping her train of thought. "I've known Marinette since we were in école. She couldn't keep a secret affair secret if she tried. Plus, as I said before, he also held Kagami pretty tightly after Oni-Chan."

Lila looked hurt. "But...I mean… she always disappears during akuma attacks and yesterday she was wearing Chat Noir's colors!"

"Don't we all run from akumas? Well… except for Alya. And during attacks, Chat is too focused on stopping the akuma to be hooking up with some random civilian who conveniently reappears after the akuma is defeated. And his focus might have a lot to do with how many times he's been rejected. A guy can only take so much before he looks elsewhere. Not to mention, Ladybug and Chat did lose a _lot_ of allies during Miracle Queen." Nino countered, bitterly. "Plus I heard her tell Adrien that she was trying out some new designs based on the heroes of Paris. She was also wearing Luka's jacket over the outfit, and he was with her after she went home."

Lila and Alya blinked at that. "How do you know Luka was with her yesterday?"

Nino lifted an eyebrow. "Because I saw him head into Tom and Sabine's during lunch."

Alya's brain ground to a halt. "You went to the bakery for lunch?"

The cap-wearing boy looked sheepishly at his girlfriend. "Well...yes. I forgot my lunch and wanted some eclairs."

The auburn-haired girl huffed. "And you didn't bring me anything?"

Nino grinned and pulled out a single wrapped orange macaron filled with chocolate from his bag. "Of course I brought you something. What kind of boyfriend do you take me for?"

Alya took the treat, a sly look on her face. "And you just casually wait until now to give it to me?"

"Well...I have been occupied when we've been together lately."

Lila gagged. "Get a room!" She cried, jokingly.

"Oh we would," Alya said, grabbing her boyfriend by the collar and looking deeply into her boyfriend's eyes. "If we could sneak away."

Taking his cue, Nino seized her hands and the two ran out of the lunchroom, leaving a confused and silently seething Italian behind.

~~~~~

Finding a good make-out spot had been a thrill at the beginning of Nino and Alya's relationship, but now it was practically routine. That didn't change how much they both enjoyed it, just that finding a place out of sight wasn't hard.

But it did also mean they could eavesdrop if a conversation took place nearby.

And that is exactly what Nino and Alya found themselves doing.

"...is doing okay. Why do you ask?" A male voice asked from the steps coming out of the school where they hid. At first, they ignored the voice until another responded.

"While we may not be friends," a female voice replied, worried. "I've been worried about her for months. She hasn't been herself, quieter, withdrawing from ones she considers her friends and isolating herself."

The male made a humming sound for a moment. "She's been under a lot of stress, both in and out of school."

"Has she talked to you about it?"

"A bit," the male replied with an audible sigh. "She's been open about the stuff happening at school, her commissions, and she's been studying Mandarin lately." The voice turned colder. "Why are you digging? If you plan on hurting her, Chloé, I swear I-"

_Chloé?_

"Pull back your fangs, Couffaine." The female, Chloé, replied, her typical snark curiously absent. "I have no intention of hurting your girlfriend. That Witch has already done enough to her. And even if I wanted to, Adrien would probably get Chat Noir to cataclysm me. On second thought, Adrien probably would steal the ring solely to do that himself if I so much as muttered a bad word against her." 

"And I would hold you down." The male voice, _Luka_ , replied coldly. 

"Noted."

There was a pause before the conversation continued.

"Adrien would have come to speak with you if he was here today. We've been gathering evidence, well I have, for months, but he's on board now and I need more allies. I'm not asking for…" Chloé's voice lowered it inaudible levels and Alya strained to hear, but it sounded like the two had walked away.

The budding journalist looked at her boyfriend. "What the hell was that about?"

Nino shrugged, adjusting his hat. "Beats me."

Alya frowned. "Were they talking about... Marinette?"

Nino bit the inside of his cheek for a moment. "I believe so."

"So, Bourgeois and Luka believe someone is hurting Marinette? It sounded like the 'witch' they mentioned is a different person."

"Do you think it has something to do with yesterday?"

Alya made a face. "There isn't enough information either way. It sounded like Chloé was researching for a while, but I can't imagine it was any good. But if Adrien is looking it over... something may be up. Sunshine may be oblivious, but he does love science and his research is pretty thorough. My question is: has someone really been hurting Marinette? Because she's been pretty witchy herself for months. I mean, tripping Lila down the stairs and stealing her belongings. Not to mention the bullying!"

"But she had her expulsion reversed," Nino countered. "So something must have changed for them to let her come back to school. New evidence, maybe? Aren't there cameras in the courtyard that would have caught what happened? Also, if she was expelled for theft and bodily harm, don't you think the school would have a tighter eye on her and reinstate her expulsion if there was evidence of her bullying someone, even if it's not Lila?"

That made Alya pause. He had a point, she had to admit. But… "But the school also has a habit of turning a blind eye to bullies in the past. Chloé for example."

"That's because Chloé would always bring her father into it. Pretty sure that is an abuse of power. But Marinette doesn't have that kind of leverage."

"That we know of."

Nino shook his head. "She would have used it before now if she did and was pressed to do so. And why target Lila, a new student, when Chloé has always been here."

"Adrien."

Another shake. "Chloé fits the description of there too. Even more so because Chloé is Adrien's childhood friend."

"Jealousy can do weird things to a person," Alya stated, digging in her heels. This was one thing she wasn't going to let go.

Nino sighed but looked exasperated. "What _recent_ evidence do we have to suggest that she is actually jealous? If it's about Adrien, wouldn't that be directed at Kagami? The two seem to genuinely get along and call each other friends - which is saying something for the Ice Queen. Also, she's dating Luka.

"If it's about connections, Marinette had personally designed for Jagged Stone at least twice and helped Clara Nightingale with her tribute to Ladybug and Chat Noir. Modeling for Gabriel Agreste? Mari only showed interest once in modeling and that was when Juleka was not confident enough and became Refletka 2.0. And she even told you she's been looking into other fashion companies should _Gabriel_ not take her or if she decides she can work better elsewhere, especially since she and Adrien are friends. Heck, you made her a _website_ so she can take her own commissions, Alya. So what could she be jealous of?"

Alya paused, staring at her boyfriend as if he had grown a second head. Where the hell had all this come from? Why was Nino so aggressively... defending Marinette?

"Why are you telling me this?" She asked, genuinely confused. 

"Why haven't you asked and _listened_ to Mari?" Nino shot back, his exasperation evident on his face. "What happened to trust but verify and check your sources? Is it... Is it because Lila is _Ladybug's_ best friend? Is that why she gets a pass but _your_ best friend, Marinette the girl that practically adopted you the day you met, has to prove _everything?_ "

Alya recoiled as if he had physically struck her. Hurt marred her features as she stood up, teeth and fists clenched, before she huffed, turned, and walked away.

Because she had no answer to that.

And he just couldn't be right. He couldn't be.

Marinette wasn't her friend. She was a bully and had been bullying her bestie Lila since the day the Italian arrived. 

Of course, Marinette had to prove everything. Because _she_ was _wrong._

_Not Alya. Not Lila._

_Not Lila._

~~~~~

A large round window opened, light pouring into a darkened room and over a single man's form. White butterflies flew around him before settling either onto the floor or fluttering nearby, awaiting the man's beckoning. 

"Ah." The masked man sighed. "The heartbreak of having your integrity questioned by a loved one. What delightful prey for my akuma."

Papillon held out a hand, beckoning one of the butterflies to him and infusing it with his power before turning to a woman behind him. "Shall we test the newly fixed peacock, Mayura?"

Mayura had already pulled a white feather from her fan, her pink eyes smiling at Papillon as she infused it with her power and lightly blew it in the direction of the window, followed closely behind the purple butterfly. 

"Go dear akuma and amok and evilize her!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. Nino.
> 
> I hope he's not written too out of character. Obviously, not enough of "dude" and "dudette"' used, but I think it has a lot to do with the gravity of what he is dealing with.
> 
> A childhood friend that, to his knowledge, has never been akumatized was almost akumatized the day before. The boy knows somethings up and this is the same kid who was akumatized because of his rage for his friend. 
> 
> I'm going to explore Nino's relationship with Lila a little later, it may help clear up his willingness to not deal with her BS today.
> 
> And Alya. Honestly, I've had issues with this girl from the beginning. She can be very pushy with Marinette's crush and her doggedness at hunting for a story, especially since chasing Ladybug, regardless of the consequences.
> 
> But what gets my goat is how she deals with Mari's distrust of Lila. Firstly, she constantly brushes it off as jealousy, ignoring the signs of Lila's maliciousness. Granted I am willing to cut Alya some slack as Lila is a tricky vixen. Secondly, concerning the jealousy, Alya actively encourages Mari to sabotage Adrien's chances with other girls: namely Chloe and Kagami. But for some reason, Lila gets a pass? Like seriously, the heck girl?
> 
> And I honestly believe Alya doesn't want conflict with Lila because she doesn't want to lose a connection with Ladybug, even know if we - the audience, Adrien and Mari know otherwise. Hear me out. 
> 
> Alya only gets to use the Fox Miraculous temporarily, and those occasions are rare and could be even rarer after Miracle Queen (though that is not confirmed). She idolizes LB and has from the moment she appeared. Now, we don't know how often Alya gets and interview with LB, but we can assume it is rare. 
> 
> So she is going to cling as tightly as she can to anything and anyone who might be able to give her some kind of details on LB, even if it is just for her benefit and not for her blog.
> 
> The blog is another thing. It's her baby. Her pride and joy. Her journalistic integrity is everything to her, even if she is willing to let it slide to post a video essentially putting a target on Lila's head. 
> 
> But we must remember that Alya is a kid, 14 or 15 according to the show. She's allowed to make mistakes, but when this one blows up it may destroy her, especially if she takes to blaming anyone but herself and Lila.
> 
> Sorry about the rant! Thank you for reading! <3


	8. A Calm and A Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cute Kwamis hanging out with Marinette.
> 
> Someone gets akumatized.
> 
> And a long-overdue interview occurs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a long note at the end of this explaining some of my thoughts on why I decided to take a particular path with a character. If you are interested, please check it out!
> 
> Also, I apologise in advance for my weak akuma fight.

After a delightful brunch, Tom insisted that Chat take some of their pain au chocolat and a cheese danish for the road. After a hearty thank you and a two-finger salute, he cat superhero finally bounded off in the direction of the Agreste mansion. Being with the Dupain-Chengs was wonderful, but he didn't want to set off too many alarms at his own home, assuming his chef would wonder why he hadn't emerged as it was nearly half-past noon. 

Doing some extra tricks to help burn off the brunch enough to want to eat what his cook would prepare, Chat thought about everything that had happened that morning and the information he had been privy to. Chloé's list had been thorough, but the details he had obtained would probably help in the long run during an investigation into Lila's dealings.

He would have to ask Ladybug about just how involved they could become in this as heroes. On one hand, Lila had been akumatized a worrying number of times: at least three times as Volpina and once as Chameleon. The only other person who had been akumatized more was M. Ramier, who Chat was concerned about. Many times he thought that maybe the bird-loving man would benefit from a therapeutic intervention to help him avoid more time as an akuma.

And that brought up another worry: Marinette's near akumatization.

That had been the second purple butterfly he had seen since the battle for the Miraculous, and so quickly after the last attack. It wasn't unusual for Papillon to go quiet for a while, but the fact that the first one to appear would target the one girl in their class who hasn't been akumatized since Papillon appeared spoke volumes.

He was also glad that he hadn't seen a feather. 

Shaking that thought away, Chat dove into his bathroom through the open window and called off the transformation, setting out one wheel of camembert for Plagg's help, with a silent promise of more later. 

"I'm glad you were there with pigtails, kid." Plagg praised, shoving a piece of cheese in his mouth. "She looked a lot better after we left the office."

"She did, didn't she." Adrien set down the backpack and splashed some warm water on his face before styling his hair. "Hopefully the board's investigation gets a jumpstart."

"I'm sure it will. You were there after all. They'd hopefully pay enough attention to one of the heroes of Paris, after all." 

Adrien gave a non-committal hum. "If it takes one of the heroes of Paris for the Board to do its job, maybe the Board needs to be investigated too."

"Humans can be slow on the uptake. We'll see what happens from here." The kwami munched on the second piece of cheese. "Are you going to tell your blonde friend about today?"

"Technically," Adrien replied, finishing with his hair and turning to the cat. "Adrien was not privy to that meeting. Chat Noir was. So I, as Adrien, don't have anything to tell her."

"Unless Pigtails tells you." He said with a sly smile. 

"Right. And if Chloé made any progress with Luka, then that might happen." The model walked out into the bedroom and tucked his backpack into the back of his closet before turning to the bedside table where his phone waited.

Unlocking the device he found several messages, several from Chloé, two from Kagami, and one from Luka.

_Chloé: so apparently DC resigned from being class rep. Almost everyone went ballistic. And Bustier gave them a smackdown. It was very odd._

_Chloé: she's not coming in today, so she's safe from the class' wrath for now, and Lahiffe is acting off. If I get the chance I may talk with him_

_Chloé: going to talk to Couffaine. Wish me luck._

_Chloé: Well...that went better than expected. Couffaine will likely talk more with you, but he's interested in helping our cause._

_Chloé: let me know how you are doing when you can. I wasn't able to talk to Lahiffe._

Adrien was happy his hunch had been right about Luka, but part of him was worried about Nino. Hopefully, he was doing okay, but the model decided he would send him a text regardless after responding to his current messages.

 _Adrien: I'm feeling a lot better now, thanks. Really_ _!? Why would she quit? Glad Luka is with us, I'll be sure to message him in a bit and I can talk to Nino if you want. Are you doing okay?_

Next was Luka's text.

_Luka: Hey man. I hope you're doing okay. Chloé approached me about helping you guys in taking Lila down and I'm not sure how I feel about this, honestly, but if it helps Mari, I'll do what I can. Just know if this hurts her more than Lila in the end, nothing will stop me from ending both of you._

Adrien found himself in agreement with the guitarist. If this all went sideways, he'd cataclysm himself before letting their plan hurt Mari. She'd been hurt enough and he wasn't going to allow anything he did to add to that.

Their Everyday Ladybug deserved better.

_Adrien: Hey Luka. I'm feeling better, thanks, man. And thanks for at least hearing her out. I expect nothing less and I have no desire to add to Marinette's pain. I would rather take any blow thrown her way before letting it strike her. She deserves better and I hope we can at least correct the wrongs that have been hurled her way._

Maybe it was over the top...but it was true. Adrien didn't want to hurt his friend anymore. He didn't want her hurting at all. 

And lastly was Kagami.

_Kagami: I'm sorry to hear you aren't feeling well. I hope you recover quickly. I recall you have a busy week ahead, but maybe we can see each other briefly tomorrow? Maybe during lunch? We can discuss what you and Bourgeois talked about last night then. Maybe in the library?_

_Kagami: I miss you. <3 _

Adrien smiled and replied.

_Adrien: I'm feeling a lot better now, thank you for the positive thoughts. Yeah, this week is going to be hairy, but at least it doesn't start until after school tomorrow. Meeting in the library for lunch sounds fantastic. Do you want me to see if Chloé and Luka can join us?_

_Adrien: I miss you too. <3 _

Sliding his phone into his pocket, Adrien decided it was time for him to make an appearance and eat a little something. Leaving Plagg with an extra round of camembert and the cheese danish, he exited his room and headed to the kitchen to see the cook.

~~~~~

Marinette sighed as she leaned into her chaise. Her body ached from the tension and anxiety she had been holding onto since the previous night. And now that the meeting was done and had gone well, her muscles protested against the tension as it left. 

Tikki was curled up in the nook of her shoulder, and a few other kwami had come out to rest on her or fly about the room.

It was nice to have their company.

Stommp and Barkk chased each other, mindful to avoid Marinette's work desk where Longg, Wayzz, and Sass sat discussing some topic or another. 

Roaar and Mullo had joined Tikki and found roosting on or around Marinette and were snuggling into her warmth. The tiger kwami was purring lightly as she rested.

Fluff, Xuppu, and Trixx tried several times to sneak up on the trio on Mari's desk and were generally the ones the guardian needed to keep the closest eye on.

Pollen was brushing Kaalki's mane with a makeshift brush made from a small toothbrush while Ziggy, Orikko, and Daizzi played cards nearby.

The comfort that came from being around the small beings soothed the young guardian into a state of semi-consciousness. At least for the moment, the world was okay. No battle to be fought. No conflict to deal with. 

For the moment, the guardian could rest peacefully, surrounded by her charges.

~~~~~

The peace didn't last long, much to Marinette's chagrin, as an akuma alert blared from her cellphone. As she climbed up to her balcony, she gave the other kwamis a brief reminder for caution before she called on Tikki's transformation. 

Unhooking her yo-yo, the red-clad heroine flung it towards the next building over and launched herself into the air, ears, and eyes peeled for any sign of the akuma…when she heard a scream from behind her.

 _Françoise Dupont._ She thought with a hiss. _Who got pissed off today?_

Ladybug looped around and landed again on her roof to assess the situation and contact Chat. Hitting the speed dial on her yo-yo communicator, she prayed her fr - classmates were okay. That Luka was okay. 

Chat picked up after the third ring. _"I got the alert, My Lady."_ He answered, tone all business. There was very little of that warmth he had had with Marinette that morning, though it wasn't completely absent, just considerably less.

"It's at Françoise Dupont. No sign of the victim just yet, I'm across the street at Tom and Sabine's Pasteriee." Ladybug replied, pushing the uncomfortable feeling away. "Would you like me to wait for you?"

_"No. I'm quite a ways out, but I'll be there soon. We could use the earbuds for communication while you get a closer look?"_

"Great idea, Chaton." She praised as she pulled out said earbud.

 _"I'm not just a purrtty face, My Lady."_ She could practically hear him preen. _"I'm about five to seven minutes out."_

A scream rang out from the school and Ladybug knew she couldn't waste any more time. With a _zing_ of her yo-yo, she was airborne and landed carefully on the roof of the collége. Peering down into the courtyard, she caught sight of not just an akuma…but a sentimonster.

"We've got an akuma and an amok."

Chat let out a low curse. " _I'm almost there. Please don't engage yet if you can."_

The blue-haired heroine acknowledged and continued to observe. 

Below was a new akuma, a young female dressed in an outfit reminiscent of an old-style detective movie: trench coat, very wide-brimmed hat, magnifying glass. Except it was in bright colors: orange and neon purple. The student's hair was mostly curled up under the hat.

The sentimonster, however, was in uncanny valley territory. It had the form and shape of an adult man wearing a similar outfit to the akuma's but had a large video camera where its head should have been.

"Just based on their appearance, I'm going to guess this is a truth revealing or investigation duo."

Chat didn't respond for a minute, but his breathing was loud in her ear. _"Is the akuma a female?"_

"Yes."

_"Shit. Could it be the Ladyblogger? She goes to that school, right?"_

Ladybug looked again, really hoping he was wrong. But she noticed that what she had thought was a magnifying glass was a cellphone. "I'm a bit too far away to confirm...but Alya is a potential candidate."

 _"What the heck could have pissed her off now?"_ Chat said before landing beside her, his expression conveyed his annoyance. 

"I guess we better find out."

And with that, the two jumped down into the courtyard, Ladybug immediately swinging her yo-yo to create a shield for the civilian they had landed in front of.

"Ah!" The akuma said, her voice confirming her identity as Alya. "Ladybug and Chat Noir! How wonderful for you to join us!"

Chat gestured for the civilian, who turned out to be Nino, to run for cover while Ladybug addressed Alya. 

"Alya! What happened? Why are you attacking Nino?"

"Alya isn't here right now…" the girl said, her smile morphing into a scowl. "Its Source Detective to you. And he," she pointed harshly in Nino's retreating direction. "Questioned my journalistic integrity. So I'm searching for his source. Camera Man!" The sentimonster stood at attention. "Be a dear and fetch Nino Lahaffe for me."

Camera Man gave an acknowledgment that sounded like binary before attempting to leap after the cap-wearing teen.

Unfortunately for it, it was intercepted by a solid _whack_ to the camera lens courtesy of Chat's baton. 

The lens cracked and the sentimonster stumbled back...only for Chat and Ladybug to stare as the crack healed itself.

"Alright. I guess the best way to take down this sentimonster is to find the amok." Chat commented, but there was an ache in his voice. 

He probably was thinking about Sentibug. Like she was.

"Yeah…" Ladybug replied, her voice dry as she dodged a beam that came from Source Detective's phone. 

"Any ideas on where it might be?" He asked, engaged fully with the sentimonster.

She grunted as Source Hunter threw a wild punch that almost connected before flipping away. "Probably the charm on her phone."

"Meow may be a good time for some luck, My Lady."

Ladybug let out a small chuckle before tossing her yo-yo and calling for a Lucky Charm.

The magic ladybugs vanished and a clamp fell into the heroine's waiting hands. After looking briefly around, she and Chat were able to defeat the akuma with the clamp, Chats belt tail, a cataclysmed stairwell, and Nino's baseball cap.

One captured akuma and amok, and Miraculous Ladybug later, everything was back in order.

Ladybug and Chat fist-bumped before turning back to a now confused Alya. Nino ran to her and gathered her into a warm embrace before the superheroes could approach her, but allowed them to talk to her.

"Are you okay, A- Mlle. Cesaire?" Ladybug asked, her voice full of concern.

"I...I guess. I was akumatized?"

"Yes. And you also had an amok."

The Ladyblogger swallowed thickly. "Did I hurt anyone?"

"You tried," Chat Noir replied, not coming any closer. "But no one got hurt. Do you know what kind of truth you were looking for?"

Alya sighed, a small hiccup betraying her distress. "I wanted to know why Nino suddenly defended a bully and why he questioned my journalistic integrity."

Nino pulled away a bit and cupped his girlfriend's face in his hands. "Babe. I was being honest when I asked why Lila gets a pass. I'm not defending Mari or Lila. It's just...if you or someone else finds evidence to suggest that Lila _isn't_ being truthful, _if_ she _lied_ in her interview, that could come back to hurt _you._ I don't want her to destroy everything you love if she is lying and even if she isn't, your disregard of confirming her story with even just Google or talking to people is enough to scare the crap out of me. What other things are you willing to let slide for the sake of a story if you let one girl who says she's Ladybug's best friend say whatever the hell she wants on _your_ blog?" He tucked a lock of hair behind her left ear. "I love you, Alya. And I want you to reach for the stars…but not at the risk of becoming a tabloid or gossip and damaging someone's life, especially your own."

Alya's amber eyes shimmered with tears. She swallowed thickly. "Y-you may be right, Nino…" the tears started to fall. 

Chat and Ladybug's miraculous began to beep. The heroine turned to her partner and gave him a tentative smile. "I can help here before my time runs out."

"Thanks, LB," the blonde sighed in relief. He held out a hand to her, which she took and smiled as he brought it gently to his lips in a departing kiss. "Until next time, My Lady."

"Bye Chat. Thank you!" She called after him as he vaulted away before turning to her civilian side's classmates. "A- Mlle. Cesaire, if you want, I can recharge and you can interview me. I should have agreed to another one a while ago."

The other girl's eyes widened in surprise. "Ummm of course! I mean, if you have time. That...that would be amazing."

Ladybug smiled at her friend. "How about we meet on the front steps in say...fifteen minutes?"

"I can do that! We still have a free period for another...forty five minutes."

"Great!" Ladybug flung her yo-yo. "Bug out!"

~~~~~

Alya stood on the steps outside of Françoise Dupont, shifting from foot to foot, radiating nerves and excitement. 

Ladybug was sitting down with her for an interview!

She felt like she might explode. Even if this had come about due to her akumatization, she was sure Ladybug had her reasons for not coming for an interview sooner.

Just as she was going to fiddle with her phone for the thousandth time, a familiar _zing_ sounded nearby and a red-clad girl landed not too far from where Alya stood. The heroine smiled at her. "Hi. Are you ready?"

"Absolutely!" Alya beamed. "Did you want to do this live or pre-recorded?"

"Live, please. While I trust you won't edit what I say to fit an agenda, but I have something to say and it needs to get out there sooner rather than later." Ladybug gave a weak smile. "Do you mind putting up a notification so people know you will be going live? The whole of Paris needs to know this."

Alya nodded in understanding. She sent out a message on her social media accounts, as well as an alert through her website for those subscribed to her.

The two waited about five minutes, both too nervous to say much before Alya pulled up the correct program for the stream.

"And we are live in three...two….one. Hey, Ladybug fans! It's your girl, Alya. And right now I am live for an interview with the one and only _Ladybug!"_ She got the spotted heroine in the frame and kept the camera on her. "Thank you so much for being here, Ladybug."

"You're welcome, Mlle. Cesaire." The heroine replied with a smile and a wave to the camera. "Thank you for having me on such short notice."

"So there was something you wanted to get out to Paris, is that right?"

"Yes." The heroine sat up a bit taller, took a deep breath, and looked right into the camera. "There has been someone going around claiming to be close to me as Ladybug and they may have hinted to knowing my identity. I don't know the motivation for saying such things, but I need to stress this for all of Paris: the only person I have ever considered my best friend in my entire time as Ladybug has been Chat Noir. And even he does _not_ know who I am behind the mask. 

"No one does and no one will until Papillon is stopped. Anyone else who says so is putting themselves and their loved ones at high risk. Papillon is still at large and he or others may be willing to take the word of this person to hurt others or the person saying these things. 

"The best way we can counter this is by verifying the information. And for that," Ladybug made eye contact with Alya. "I'm sorry for not coming forward as soon as I heard the rumor and saw the interview. Some part of me thought that others might be able to see through the lie or at least question why someone would put themselves at risk like that, but when no one did, the responsibility fell on me to act, and I hesitated. People of Paris, Chat Noir, Mlle. Cesaire, I am sorry that I failed you in this regard. I promise from now on to be as approachable as I can be - without putting myself or my loved ones at risk, of course. I hope you can forgive me for my delay. Thank you."

There was a long silence between the two girls before Alya swallowed heavily and turned the camera on herself. "And, in light of what Ladybug said, I, too, would like to apologize to my wonderful and patient followers. I dropped the ball on that story and will be taking it down as soon as this stream is over. I will also issue a written apology. For now, I will say, I'm so sorry everyone. I promise I will do better."

Ladybug placed a gentle hand on Alya's shoulder. "I forgive you." She said, clearly and truthfully. 

Alya smiled. "Thank you, Ladybug. You all heard it here on the Ladyblog, guys! Ladybug and Chat Noir are best friends forever! Now let's get out there and make the world a better place, one truth, and apology at a time. Until next time, this is Alya and Ladybug signing off!"

The budding reporter stopped the stream, locked her phone, and crumpled. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks and sobs wracked her frame. The weight of her failure hitting her hard between her shoulder blades. _If something had happened to Lila because of this…_

A pair of armored arms wrapped around the girl, pulling her into a tight hug. "It'll be okay. It may be rough for a while, and there will be consequences we'll have to face because of this, but I promise we'll get through this." Ladybug whispered into Alya's curly locks. 

And Alya believed her.

~~~~~

The fallout in the comment section of the Ladyblog and on social media from the Livestream was hard and fast. Angry comments and posts abounded, but cooler heads soon prevailed once people were able to express their disappointment.

Many comments were quick to forgive Alya, citing that she was still a minor, and making mistakes was a part of learning. Not everyone, of course, but seeing that many were willing to forgive had lightened the heaviness in Alya's chest. Others lamented Ladybug's tardiness in response but soon agreed that the city's beloved heroine had been dealing with a lot in the months following the original video.

But one thing was loud and clear in the comments: was Lila okay? This girl had either ignorantly or maliciously made herself a target of Papillon. Why would she endanger herself like that? Was she not safe at home? Was she suicidal? Should she be seen by a specialist? Did her parents know? What resources were out there for youths like her and why aren't they being used?

And that was what made Alya go to see Mme. Bustier after school.

Because if her friend was hurting, if there was some problem that had driven Lila to do this, then she _needed_ help.

_Immediately._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: originally I had some Lila analysis and speculation. It has been brought to my attention that that speculation could be/is harmful to not only understanding the plight of many who suffer from trauma, but also could potentially spread misinformation.
> 
> I would like to formally apologize for that and have removed my speculation.


	9. What Cannot Be Ignored

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien has suspicions.
> 
> Marinette has questions.
> 
> And Alya talks to Mme. Bustier about Lila's lie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Language warning: some crude language ahead.
> 
> Also, I made said this in a comment on the last chapter, but I want to reiterate it here: regarding the characters (and Paris/social media) seeing Lila as a victim right now, that will change. But at the moment, people outside of Mme. Bustier's class only know of one lie, her classmates are still in shock, and Alya doesn't want to believe that her friend is malicious. She's drunk the Kool aid, ya'll. It sucks, but that's where she is right now. 
> 
> Things are going to change in the next few chapters. The stage is set. Now the pieces just need to fall into place and that is where Mari Protection Squad (TM) is going to fit in.
> 
> The world is going to burn. They better finish the witch off. (Yes, we are headed into World Burn references. Listen to it. It's great - except it does have some pretty ugly slurs. Be advised!)

_Chloe: call me when you get a chance! Have you seen the new video on the Ladyblog?_

Adrien was staring at the "this stream has ended" image on his desktop. His mind blanked when the text notification hit his ears. It took him several minutes to even pick up the device, but he immediately hit the call button on the heiress' contact when he did so.

It rang once.

" _Did you see the stream?"_

"Yes." Adrien's voice cracked and he quickly cleared his throat. "Yes. How are things at school?"

_"Honestly, everyone is still in shock. I'm not sure if the magnitude of what Ladybug did has hit most of them, except for Kanté, Lahiffe, and Lê Chiên oddly enough. Kanté has been reviewing things with Markov, Lahiffe seemed to have come to his senses before the stream started, and Lê Chiên had been listening to Markov so carefully I'm worried about his brain exploding. I really hope this won't set off a mass akumatization..."_

That hadn't even been on his radar. _Shit …_

_"So what do you want to do?"_

Adrien blinked. "What do you mean?"

_"Do you think we should still expose her?"_

The model swallowed hard. "I reviewed your list of her actions...and honestly, I don't think we can afford to not expose her. People's reputations are at risk because of what she's done that we can prove and the promises that fell through may have caused people to miss out on things that could have helped their future endeavors. Not to mention the bullying of Marinette. If she was willing to make and follow through on threats, she is a danger."

_"I'm glad we are on the same page here, Adrien. So how do you want to do this?"_

"Who would be the best person to take our information to?"

There was a shuffling sound on the other end for a moment. _"Considering how utterly ridiculous Mme. Bustier and M. Damocles have been regarding Rossi, we will likely need to go over their heads. The next step up would be the Board of Governors."_

_And Mari knows that they have a case going, so we'd add fuel to the fire._ Adrien thought.

"Okay. Did you want to contact them or should we meet up and do it together?"

_"I can contact them now. Based on the comments on the Ladyblog, I wouldn't be surprised if a fire gets lit under the school's butt for this. There are a lot of people concerned about Rossi's wellbeing and wondering why nothing was done sooner."_

"Everyone seemed to have dropped the ball when it came to that interview. Someone's going to have their butt handed to them for this and it's probably not going to be Rossi."

_"No. Her mom is going to get some serious heat for this. Alright, I've got all the papers in order and I'm going to call in now."_

"Wait!" Adrien cried. "What about the things she has said about celebrities and others Lila lied about? Should we speak with them as well?"

_"Good point. Won't a few of them be at your father's show this weekend?"_

The model thought for a moment. "I know Jagged Stone was invited. I'm not sure who else."

" _Jagged would be good person to start with. He's friends with Clara and has a huge social media presence. He'd be an asset._ "

"Got it. I'll see if I can talk to him and show him the evidence."

" _Great. I better let you go so I can make this call. Study hall ends in 30."_

"Okay! Good luck. Message me afterward?"

_"Don't be ridiculous. You'll be the first to know how it goes... Unless I run into Tsurugi before I can contact you."_

Adrien smiled a bit at that. "Thanks, Chlo. Talk to you later."

And with that, they hung up.

Leaving Adrien alone with his thoughts. 

While it was true that the truth needed to come out in regards to Lila and that she needed to face the consequences of her actions, the idea of a mass akumatization had not occurred to the blonde when he had given his now ridiculous advice. Especially after Heroes Day. 

Especially after the attempted mass akumatization when Marinette had been expelled.

How _stupid_ it was to hold this off! Even if he didn't know that Ladybug had sent Marinette to expose what she could. Even if no one was being hurt immediately, the idea that this would hurt people when the truth came out… and that it could lead to another Heroes day….

He was Chat Noir for kwami sake! 

But he had fallen for Lila's ruse, she had essentially told him what he wanted to hear. That it wouldn't be bad. And he had believed that...until he saw it was.

And Marinette had been the casualty of that. And now Alya.

"Kid," Plagg's voice broke through his spiraling thoughts. "Kid. You made a mistake. Everybody does. Even Ladybug. You aren't omniscient. You shouldn't have to know the consequences of every action." The kwami floated in front of his Chosen's face. "And you are starting to repair that, by helping Pigtails and Blondie. This isn't all your fault. The place where blame belongs is at the feet of that Lila girl who started this. She set the stage and we have been played until now."

"But _why_ would she do this?" Adrien asked, his voice tight. "Why would she put herself deliberately on Papillon's radar? Did she deliberately set this up to cause akumas? If so, why? If not, why still do this?"

Plagg growled. "Some people just want to watch the world _burn_ , Adrien. But she is a sneaky vixen, I'll give her that. Her actions are almost too deliberate. Maybe we should keep an eye on her when butterflies are around."

Adrien stroked his chin in thought. "Do you think she could be working with Papillon?"

"Maybe?" The kwami shrugged. "She has been akumatized several times. The only other person to be akumatized as much or more than she has been is that pigeon guy and now your Ladyblog friend. "

Adrien nodded, brow furrowed in thought. "Maybe we should bring this concern to the police?"

"Maybe...except don't they have a policy regarding minors who are akumatized?"

"Oh...right. But her mom would have been contacted, right?"

"Honestly, Adrien," Plagg replied, giving a long-suffering sigh. "With how poorly your school has dealt with her so far, I really doubt it."

The sinking feeling in his gut told him Plagg was right.

_Shit._

~~~~~

George stared down at the updated report he had just taken in regards to Collége Françoise Dupont. Over the past hour, he had taken a report from a concerned student, which had been quickly followed by another half hour with a concerned teacher who felt his concerns were not being taken seriously by the administration. 

These allegations couldn't be ignored. There was something seriously wrong going on at that collége.

He picked up his phone and dialed for his boss.

It rang twice.

"Hey, it's George. Listen. We have a serious problem...I'm talking we needed to intervene yesterday. We have multiple reports about Françoise Dupont…"

~~~~~

Marinette clutched her Chat Noir plush to her chest as she stared up at the ceiling. While she was quiet amidst the noise of the kwamis buzzing about her room, but her mind was not at peace.

Her mind was going over and over what she had said on the Livestream. Questioning every word, every inflection, everything she could about her speech. Was it good enough? Would Paris forgive her? 

Would anyone believe her?

After being pushed aside for "lack of proof" by her classmates, the belief that the same thing could happen with her superhero self, especially since her time was limited in which she could defend herself, was a real and overwhelming doubt. At this very moment, Lila could be spinning new lies to protect herself...and they just might fall all over again for them.

Because Ladybug had failed to stop this before it got out of hand.

Marinette knew that Alya's journalistic integrity and her blog were very important to her. And by delaying a response to Lila's interview she had…

_Wait…_

Marinette sat up abruptly, her face marred by a frown.

Alya had _multiple_ chances to request an interview with Ladybug after that interview went live. She has _every_ opportunity, even when she had been called upon as Rena Rouge to set the record straight, even just to casually ask, "Hey! I interviewed this girl who says she's your BFF. What did you think of it?"

That _never happened_.

_Why?_

Why hadn't Alya done her due diligence and confirm a story with the hero she claimed to be her idol?

Marinette had to be missing something. 

She reached over and grabbed her phone. It was still Study Hall over at school. She could text Alya and see if she was okay. 

_Marinette: hey als. I saw the interview on the Ladyblog. Are you okay?_

It didn't take long for a response to come back.

_Alya: hey dudette. Als can't come to the phone right now, but I'm with her. She could be better, honestly. I'm keeping watch for akumas. She already got akumatized today but that interview was rough for her._

_Marinette: oh my gosh what happened?_

Even though she already knew the answer as Ladybug, Marinette was technically in the dark.

_Alya: we argued and Papillon decided to take advantage of it._

_(Unsent) Marinette: wow… I have a box of macarons, a tall thermos of hot chocolate, and a big hug with her name on them. And some eclairs for you. Want to bring her over after school?_

Marinette stared at the message she typed out, thumb hovering over the send button. Hesitating.

Months ago, she wouldn't have hesitated. Months ago, those offerings of comfort would have been genuinely and happily given.

But things had changed. 

Her friendship with Alya had changed.

Were they even friends anymore? They barely spoke to each other and when they did there was this tension between them. A line they couldn't cross without devolving into an argument.

Sure, friends fought. But the way Alya sought out these fights were downright scary. No matter how many times and no matter how she worded it, Marinette just couldn't get it through to Alya that she and Lila just didn't click. 

But there were other things...

Alya had become more demanding, even to the point of expecting Marinette to just be available at the drop of a hat to babysit or make something out of thin air for whatever was going on with their friends. 

Not that Marinette wouldn't do those things if asked, but the ravenette had so much going on that many of those "requests" got pushed aside for paid commissions, paid babysitting gigs, or akuma battles. Because she couldn't do all of it. She had to choose. And Marinette had told Alya so.

Alya had time and time again brushed her off for being selfish or not caring enough.

She had added to her best friend's stress, stress that had led to near akumatization. 

_This...this isn't how friends treat friends ...right?_

Not that Marinette ever asked for payment or to have favors returned... But she couldn't remember the last time her friends did something for her. There had been her birthday party months back and their help with some random Adrien confession attempts, but that was it. And that had been before her feud with Lila had begun. 

And what was worse was that because her generosity was expected rather than appreciated by her friends, no one had asked if she needed help to get those gifts and items in an order. She was _expected_ to cover for babysitting Alya's sisters and Nino's brother when the two wanted to go on a date.

Without thanks.

She was just expected to drop everything for her friends.

To the detriment of her health.

They took advantage of her generosity. 

Tears stung Marinette's eyes as she deleted her message and typed out a new one. 

_Marinette: wow... If I haven't said it before, I'm saying it now. Papillon is a dick._

_Alya: I couldn't agree more, dudette. I'm going to have to let you go, dudette. Alya and I need to get to class._

_Marinette: okay give her a hug for me, okay? I should be back tomorrow._

_Alya: will do, dudette._

Marinette put down her phone. No answers there as to why she didn't just ask Ladybug months ago… but she would have to wait to try again.

She put down her phone and the weight of her earlier epiphany came crashing upon her. 

Her _friends were using her._

The force of that thought made her lie down on her bed, bury her face in her pillow, and cry.

Sometime later, a heavy weariness fell over her like a warm, smothering blanket as the events of that day took their toll, and she soon found herself drifting off to sleep.

~~~~~

The final bell had rung several minutes ago and students were still leaving the school when the door to Mme. Bustier's room opened. The red-haired woman looked up to see Alya Cesaire walk in. The girl's honey-colored eyes were puffy and bloodshot, her auburn hair looked wilted, her shoulders slouched.

Caline hurried to her student's side and brought her to sit down at one of the empty desks. "Alya, are you alright?"

The young girl sniffed. "N-no."

The young teacher's green eyes looked compassionately at her student and her hands rubbed a small circle on the girl's back. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Alya nodded, taking a deep breath. "I...I got an interview with Ladybug today...and she told me that the things Lila told me in her interview were lies."

Caline nodded slowly, having heard the aftermath of the interview. 

"And...and I'm just so... _scared_ for my friend, Mme. Bustier." The girl hiccuped and sobbed. "W-why would L-Lila say something like that? Why would sh-she put herself into danger like that? A-and keep saying it a-after she was a-akumatized over and over again?"

Tears were now streaming down the student's cheeks and Caline felt helpless because she didn't know how to answer her questions.

"I-is she...does she... _want_ Papillon to hurt her?"

That made the redhead stop dead in her tracks. It hadn't been something she had considered when she allowed the Italian to talk about her supposed friendship with Ladybug. But now that Alya had brought it up, Caline's mind frantically searched for any signs of distress from Lila. 

How stupid she had been to not watch for signs! Was all the training she was given year after year wasted?

She offered her student some tissues and waited for her to calm down before answering. "Has Lila ever mentioned hurting herself? Have you seen anything to suggest that?"

Alya frowned in thought before shaking her head. "No. But she has said she's being bullied and has injuries from it. She has a new bruise every couple of days. And her wrists are constantly hurting her from her arthritis, and she never has money for lunch, and she needs support when walking from class to class. Not to mention the amount of time she spends away in Achu."

A horrible alarm sounded in Caline's head. This almost sounded like…

"Does she mention her relationship with her parents at all?" She asked, praying she was wrong.

Alya's frown deepened as if she hadn't been expecting that. She was quiet for a moment as she thought about everything Lila had said. "Only that her mom is an ambassador and busy a lot. I don't know about her dad. Oh, and she didn't want her mom to be bothered when Marinette pushed her down the stairs and was expelled."

The alarm didn't stop. 

"Thank you for bringing your worries to me, Alya. Do you feel a bit better after talking about this?"

The girl took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. "A bit. I think I got it all out… is there any way you can help?"

"Good. Yes, but I'm going to do what I can as soon as you head home. Is there someone who can be with you on your way home?"

Alya nodded, taking one last tissue before hugging her teacher and heading out of the room. Caline spotted Nino with her and took a breath as she gathered her belongings and headed to the office. She needed to talk to M. Damocles… this was an emergency.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, warning, in the next few chapters, time in the story gets pretty intense. A lot happens in the span of the next 48 hours in universe. I will put a recap in the beginning notes.
> 
> See you all tomorrow!


	10. When the Board Interviews

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Board sends two representatives to conduct interviews and get a better idea of what is going on at Françoise Dupont.
> 
> Adrien and Marinette talk, again. Adrien apologizes to her and Marinette gives him a phone number.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY, the Board is stepping in. 
> 
> The way I depict this is closer to how some audits are done. Unexpected arrivals, thorough examinations, etc. I apologize for any inaccuracies to how the Board of Governors works. (This is fiction and I'm taking a lot of creative licenses here.)
> 
> Also, regarding the locker room, I'm taking some creative license here too. The locker room that has the camera has the kids' lockers for their books, etc. And there is a separate "locker room" where they change for gym class/sports which has no cameras per privacy guidelines. The first locker room is where Lila hid her necklace and where Marinette was expelled. I hope this makes sense!

_Wednesday_

M. Damocles sat down at his desk and booted up his school email, sipping from his coffee as he scanned through the messages he had received. Two stuck out, having "important" in the subject line and the sender's email addresses. Both were time-stamped the previous day and about an hour after he had left for the day.

The first was from a representative of the Board of Governors.

_M. Damocles,_

_Some very concerning reports have been brought to our attention, and due to the urgency of those reports, please expect a Mme. Cho around 09:00 tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. She will be reviewing the information we have and will require access to all files and systems._

_Also, you will receive an email from M. Killian around this time. He will be accompanying Mme. Cho to investigate a new report. He will require access to a room and freedom to interview several teachers._

_If you have any questions, please contact me via phone at #########_

_Sincerely,_

_M.George_

M. Damocles checked the current time. He had two full hours before Mme. Cho and M. Killian arrived. Less than ideal, but they would make do. Fortunately, there was an empty office nearby and away from the usual traffic of students so it would allow for privacy. He was also sure that his own office would be where Mme. Cho would be most of the day, if not week depending on how long this took. 

He clicked on the second email to confirm it was from M. Killian reiterating what M. George had said. With a nod to no one in particular, M. Damocles stood and began to get ready for his visitors.

~~~~~

Feeling a little more confident than she had on Monday, Marinette wore a different outfit inspired by Chat Noir. A loose, mint green dress shirt and black skinny jeans with a pair of black sandals completed the ensemble and she tied her hair up into a single high bun. 

Smiling at how her partner's colors looked on her, she rushed back to her room to say goodbye to the kwamis and grab Tikki. A chorus of "goodbye, mom!" echoed back at her and she couldn't help but chuckle. 

She guessed the nickname was apropos. She was their guardian after all and a female. And most female guardians were called mom by their charges.

It was just kinda weird because her charges were older than she would ever be.

Laughing, she grabbed her bags, waited for Tikki to fly into her purse before heading downstairs. Kissing her mom, she hurried downstairs, snagging a croissant and giving her father a brief kiss before rushing out of the store and running towards school.

She was again earlier than usual...and arrived at the front of Françoise Dupont just as a familiar limo pulled up. 

"Marinette!" A voice called from behind her as she attempted to run up the stairs. She managed to not trip and fall as she turned to face the voice.

Adrien Agreste, his golden blonde hair shimmering in the sun, ran up the stairs taking three at a time before he reached her. "Hey," he greeted, not even winded by his sprint.

"Good morning, Adrien," she replied politely, her stomach tightening, but her voice was steady. 

The blonde rubbed the back of his neck, his smile looked unsure for some reason. "Can...can I walk with you? There's something I'd like to talk to you about if you have the time."

Marinette tilted her head slightly, her brows lightly coming together. _Why is he so nervous?_ "Of course. Shall we?" She gestured for them to continue into the school.

Adrien moved beside her as they walked into the school, he was close enough to stay beside her as they entered the school, but far enough that he wasn't invading her personal space, even though the distance between them almost crackled with his nervousness.

Marinette was fighting with every bit of self-control she had to stop herself from catastrophizing. Deep, calming breaths. She could hear what he had to say, respond accordingly, and deal with the consequences later.

They walked past several students before reaching a section of the courtyard that was semiprivate before either of them spoke.

"Marinette…" the blonde began, turning to face her. "I wanted to apologize."

The noir haired girl was so shocked, her head whipped around to face the blonde, her blue eyes wide and her mouth slightly open. But before she could ask, he continued.

His hands were white-knuckled as he held on to his satchel strap, but his green eyes kept to her face as he spoke. "I...I gave you some ridiculously stupid advice regarding Lila. I've been pretty blind to the fact that she was hurting someone: You. And… I just stood by and let it happen, which is unforgivable. You're my friend, and I didn't act like it when it counted. And...I'm so very sorry."

It took everything in her to keep her legs from giving out at his speech. _Is this happening?!_

"I'm not expecting you to forgive me. I just want to apologize and let you know I'm working to fix what wrongs I can." He took a deep breath, looking down before meeting her eyes again, a genuine, but pained smile on his lips. 

She swallowed thickly, a painful lump refusing to move in her throat, and her eyes stinging. "I...I accept your apology, Adrien." Marinette placed a hand on her chest, rubbing just to the left of her sternum, and let words from her broken heart tumbled from her lips, genuine and echoing her pain. "And...as much as I would love to say I forgive you right now, this wound is still too fresh, too deep. I'm going to need time. But...your apology means everything."

Adrien's smile wavered, and his green eyes shimmered. "Thank you," he whispered. "That's more than I deserve."

His afflicted voice tore at her heart. But she knew she couldn't give him true forgiveness just yet. Not because she wanted him to suffer by her holding it away from him. She would sooner tear out her own heart than hurt him. If she couldn't truly forgive him, it wouldn't be fair to either of them. A sword of Damocles would hang between them, distrust on her side, and false hope on his.

Adrien is her friend, regardless of her feelings for him or his failure to stand by her when she needed him, but trust had been broken. And trust takes time to heal.

A time that he was willing to give her. Time she needed to come to terms with his error... and time to figure out just what her feelings towards him were now.

An awkward silence settled between them, suddenly aware that neither knew exactly where they stood with each other. 

Marinette broke it in a rush. "I-I have to turn a note into the office. I'll see you in class, Adrien."

Before he could respond, she ran off, the tears stinging her eyes starting to streak down her cheeks. 

She didn't hear Adrien's whispered "Goodbye, Princesse" from behind her.

~~~~~

Kagami found her boyfriend sitting on one of the benches in the courtyard about five minutes before the first bell. His head was in his hands and his aura screamed dejection. Concerned, the dark-eyed fencer hurried to Adrien's side. 

When she was before him, she could see the subtle shake of his shoulders and hear the clear sound of someone trying to not cry too loudly.

As she sat beside him, she reached out and grasped his upper arm. "Adrien? Adrien, what happened?"

The blonde scrubbed his face quickly, wiping away as much of the tears that marred his cheeks before looking at Kagami. His green eyes were red-streaked and puffy. A trembling smile touched his lips. "I...I talked to Ma-Mari." His voice croaked and he swallowed thickly. "She accepted my apology."

Kagami let out a small sigh of relief. These tears weren't ones of pain, they were from relief. And she didn't expect any less from Marinette. She was a kindhearted and forgiving person. "I'm glad you talked with her."

"Me too." He pulled out a small white cloth and dried his face. "I just hope things won't be weird between us. I don't want to lose her friendship because of my stupidity."

"She would have told you that if you did," Kagami countered quickly, lifting Adrien's chin so their eyes met. "Marinette wouldn't leave you in the dark about that. She may be hurt, but she would never want to hurt you because of her pain. And I'm sure she treasures your friendship as I do with hers." She smiled genuinely. "We'll take this one step at a time. You'll take this one step at a time, you and Marinette."

The model smiled, leaned over, and placed a gentle kiss on the fencer's cheek, intertwining their fingers. "Thank you, Kagami."

The two sat there until the bell rang, their fingers brushing each other as they pulled away to go to class.

~~~~~~

Black heels clicked on the stairs of Françoise Dupont at exactly 08:45 as average height, a black-haired woman walked up into the school. Juliana Cho's short dark hair curled around her chin and her dark gray eyes focused carefully before her, a brown briefcase carried at her side. A red blouse complemented the black pencil skirt she wore. 

Just to her left, Sean Killian walked beside her. His strawberry blonde hair tied into a twist at the back of his head, concealing just how long his hair was. One had to look at it closely to even see that it was not how his hair would naturally lay, a trick he had mastered. His blue eyes were semi-hidden by dark-rimmed glasses matched the dress shirt he wore tucked into khaki pants and the ensemble was completed with a dark blue tie.

"M. Damocles' office is up that staircase," Juliana pointed in the direction of the far left side of the courtyard before leading Sean in that direction. 

Moments later, Sean knocked on the door.

Damocles answered, a smile hidden behind his well-groomed beard and mustache. "Good morning," he greeted and ushered them into the office. 

"Good morning," Sean replied and shook the man's hand before displaying his and Juliana's badges to prove who they were. "I'm Sean Killian and this is Juliana Cho. We appreciate you accommodating us on such short notice. Unfortunately, our visit will likely not be short or sweet." 

"Of course." M. Damocles nodded, gesturing for the two to have a seat. "I will do my best to help as much as I can. I've already had an empty office cleared for your use, M. Killian, and my office has most of the files you require, Mme. Cho. If any others are needed, I will be happy to hunt them down."

Juliana nodded. "Before we begin, we would like to stress that while anything you give us is voluntary, the reasons for this investigation is very concerning and will require swift correction."

"Of course. My staff and I will cooperate and do everything in our power to correct the wrongs."

"We are glad to hear that," Sean replied as Juliana placed her briefcase on M. Damocles' desk and opened it with a low click. "Over the past four months, we have received a steady stream of calls from concerned parents, students, and staff regarding some incidents that have occurred on school grounds and how they were handled."

"You are certainly aware of the worrying number of akumas that have come from Caline Bustier's class, yes?" Juliana continued, clicking a pen as she prepared a page in her notebook.

"Yes," the headmaster acknowledged with a nod. "I believe that of every student in that homeroom, only two students have not been akumatized, and Mme. Bustier has also been akumatized."

Juliana nodded. "What kind of safety precautions have been taken to help ensure the mental safety of the students in that class?"

"Caline leads them in multiple relaxation exercises and intervenes in student disputes with conflict resolution and positive encounters, usually involving the disputing parties to tell something they like about the other or hug it out." He said with pride.

Juliana nodded, but her face didn't reflect any particular amazement or happiness at that. "Have any outside resources been used? District counselors for the students or meetings with parents to discuss stress at home?"

Damocles frowned slightly. "It's been made aware to the students that counselors are available and meetings with parents do occur when they can come."

Sean leaned forward. "What do you mean by that?"

"Mme. Rossi is difficult to get in touch with. We can reach her via email, but she is usually either out of the country or in meetings as ambassador. Mayor Bourgeois is often also difficult to reach, but he does come when he can. There are others, but they can be reached most of the time."

Sean and Juliana shared a look. 

"Tell us more about Mme. Rossi's child, Lila is that correct?" Sean encouraged.

Damocles nodded. "Lila Rossi is a good but busy student. She spent almost two months in Achu working on a charity to help with pollution with Prince Ali. She works hard, though she does struggle with several medical conditions." 

"Has she ever provided paperwork to confirm her diagnoses and travel?" Juliana asked, her interest piqued.

The older man frowned, hesitating. "I… I don't recall, but I believe so. I can fetch her record."

Juliana nodded and when the man went to the file cabinetand began to hunt for the file.

"Aha!" M. Damocles cried triumphantly a moment later and placed a folder on his desk. After he was seated, he passed the file into Juliana's waiting hand. 

Sean asked a few questions regarding the rest of Mme. Bustier's class while the dark-haired woman looked through Lila's file. In it, she found the contact slip all parents were required to fill out and submit with emergency contact, phone numbers, and email addresses. 

It was only partially filled out, with Mme. Rossi as the primary contact, a phone number, and a standard looking Gmail. No secondary contact was listed. A big red flag.

"Why is only one contact listed on her in case of an emergency?" Juliana pipped up. 

Damocles blinked. "Mlle Rossi is a non-native resident. I believe at the beginning of the year there wasn't anyone else her mother trusted enough to put as the second contact."

Juliana frowned. "Not even the embassy? Her work number is not listed either, just a cell."

The older man frowned. "That's...unusual."

Sean cut in while Juliana took note of the contents of Lila's folder. Oddly, no doctor records were suggesting any medical conditions as the headmaster had mentioned previously. All that was found medical wise was a clean bill of health doctor physical from the previous September and an immunization record. And there was no note explaining her two-month-long absence.

It was all very concerning.

Writing a note on her notepad, she reassembled the girl's file and passed it back to the headmaster, and tuned into the conversation.

"Has she had any difficulties with any of her classmates?" Sean asked.

Damocles nodded. "Yes. Mlle. Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Early this semester, she accused Mlle. Dupain-Cheng of stealing an heirloom necklace, witnessing her steal the answers for an exam, and pushing her down a flight of stairs in the courtyard in a fit of rage."

Juliana and Sean didn't blink at that. They had reviewed Mlle. Dupain-Cheng's file and complaint. "How was the investigation into her accusations handled?" She asked. "Was CCTV reviewed? Witness statements were taken?"

"Well…" M. Damocles shifted uncomfortably in his chair, tapping his fingers together. "The evidence was found in Mlle. Dupain-Cheng's possession and Mlle. Rossi had an injury consistent with falling down the stairs."

"But CCTV wasn't reviewed? Was Mlle. Rossi examined by Mme. Blanchet?"

"I don't recall either, but I believe so."

_Or it never was done._

Sean nodded. "Alright. And what happened next?"

"After the necklace was found in Mlle. Dupain-Cheng's locker, the last of the charges proved, I immediately expelled her."

Sean didn't miss a beat. "Were parents called? Was she publicly or privately expelled?"

"Her parents were called after I began the paperwork, but before the announcement of her expulsion was public." The headmaster straightened as if proud of how quick he had responded.

"Was Mme. Rossi contacted?"

Damocles frowned. "Mlle. Rossi said her mother didn't need to be bothered by an incident at school."

"Even though she was injured?"

Damocles blanched but didn't respond.

Juliana sighed. "Do you still have the CCTV from that day?" All schools were required to have CCTV in the common areas: the locker room, courtyard, and hallways. And the footage was to be saved on a drive for the length of the semester unless otherwise requested.

The headmaster cleared his throat, but turned to his computer and opened a program. A few clicks later, he nodded. "I have it."

"Good. I will need to review it. Could you bring M. Killian to the room you have set for him? I believe he may have more questions for you."

~~~~~

Sean's interview with M. Damocles took about an hour to complete, in which he asked questions regarding Mlle. Chloé Bourgeois, Mme. Bustier's class and their akumatization, systems in place to protect students and contacting parents when incidents - akuma or otherwise - occurred on school grounds, as well as others.

It was a long and grueling process, leaving Sean more and more disappointed. M. Damocles had been in attendance at several mandatory headmaster training since Papillon's first attack, in which the elusive villain had used one of the students of this very school to cause havoc and change Paris forever. 

And yet, it seemed as if all that training and then general protocols for students' safety and discipline were widely ignored and regularly avoided.

By the time Juliana came to collect the headmaster for her investigation, Sean felt a headache coming. _If this is what the headmaster is like...I'm not looking forward to interviewing Mme. Bustier._

Sean looked up at the clock. It was a quarter until eleven. He had fifteen minutes to gather his questions, and sanity, before going to retrieve Mme. Bustier during her lunch break. Maybe he could eat that delicious sandwich his wife had prepared for him while he collected himself.

Pulling out the sack lunch from his backpack, he flipped to a clean page in his notebook. He smiled as he pulled out a heart note and then his sandwich. He savored the first bite After savoring the first few bites, Sean turned to his notebooks and began writing down his questions for Mme. Bustier. 

When he shoved the last piece of his sandwich into his mouth, he looked up and saw that the teacher’s lunch would begin in several minutes. Standing and brushing off any crumbs, he grabbed his badge and left the room, and made sure to shut the door firmly. Some students were still in the halls and the courtyard, but they had a few minutes before the tardy bell would ring. 

Sean pulled his badge's lanyard over his head and began walking towards the literature teacher's classroom. Most of the students ignored him, but a few cast him a curious glance or two before continuing on their way to their next class. To the ones that would look at him, Sean would give a polite smile, but he didn't halt in his journey.

Peeking into the classroom window to confirm Mme. Bustier was still in the room, he knocked firmly on the door. A "come in" echoed from within before he dared to enter.

Caline Bustier's blue eyes blinked up at him as she sat at her desk.

"Caline Bustier?" He asked and waited for her to nod before he continued. "My name is Sean Killian. I'm a representative of the Board of Governors." He showed his badge to her. "I hate to bother you during your lunch period, but I need to ask you several questions. Would you mind coming to office M. Damocles set up?"

To say she looked shocked was an understatement.

"I'm sorry you weren't informed ahead of time of my arrival, but my visit is due to a very urgent issue. You can call M. Damocles to confirm my identity if you like."

Almost robotically, the redhead grabbed the school phone and dialed a number he assumed was to M. Damocles. Her knuckles were white on the receiver as the headmaster answered. A brief, quiet exchange occurred and Mme. Bustier physically relaxed by the time she put the headset down. She looked back up at him with an embarrassed smile. "Sorry about that."

"No worries. As I said, I'm sorry we weren't able to inform you of my visit beforehand. But we have very urgent issues to discuss." He gestured to the door. "If you don't mind coming with me?"

The walk to the office was quick and filled with polite conversation, a means for Sean to get the jumpy teacher to open up to him. He would need her cooperation, especially since his conversation with M. Damocles had shown some clear warning signs that things were not being done as they should.

Once they were settled into their seats, Sean asked her if she needed anything before they began. She declined, citing she had eaten already and had a water bottle with her. With a nod, he began the interview. 

"Mme. Bustier, I'm here today because the Board of Governors has received numerous concerning reports regarding student safety and discipline." Her eyes bugged at that statement, her fingers again going white as she gripped her water bottle. "I am not here to accuse or remove you from your position. I am here to get your side and then the Board will decide on where to go from there."

She relaxed, only slightly, but it was enough.

"Do you consent to this interview?"

She cleared her throat. "Yes."

"If at any time you want to take a break, please let me know."

She nodded and he began. 

"Mme. Bustier, how many students do you have in your homeroom class?"

"15."

"Do you have any issues maintaining an environment fitting for education for them?"

She retreated slightly from that question. "Occasionally."

"Can you elaborate on what those issues are? Remember, this is just to get information. The board can and will help you."

Her stance became less defensive. "All of my students have very vibrant personalities and many of them clash. Some are quick to judgment and fits of anger, some are impulsive - especially when it comes to our local heroes, and a few are infamous for pranks, for example. This is, of course, excluding akuma interruptions."

Sean nodded and made a note in his notebook. "When non-akuma interruptions occur, generally how do you get your class back in order?"

"For minor interruptions, I typically clap to get their attention and that usually works. If two students are distracting each other, I will call on them and politely ask them to rejoin the class. For more moderate interruptions, such as one student saying something unkind to another, I will bring both students to the front and ask them to say something kind to each other. I will also ask the one who said the comment or did the action against the other to apologize and the other to accept."

Sean fought to keep an eyebrow from rising at that, and kept an expression kind, interested, and open to her. While his brain was practically screaming: _She forces conflict resolution in front of peers? She forces her students to accept apologies that are also coerced? For potential verbal or physical bullying?_ Sean glanced at his notes seeing that Mme. Bustier _had_ attended the most recent mandatory Bullying Prevention and Awarenesses training, which had gone over the method and interventions all schools in France utilize to combat bullying and harassment. The method she described was not one of them.

"Would you say that method has helped keep an environment suitable for learning?"

"I would say yes." She replied without hesitation and a smile. "I have a couple of tough eggs, but most of my students can resolve their moderate conflicts this way."

"What do you mean by tough eggs?"

"A couple of my students have very high feelings of justice and will voice when things do not appear to be fair to them. A few have been akumatized because of this, and it led to my akumatization."

"What other ways do you help keep peace among your students?"

"I have a model student who helps me by providing an example of how we should treat each other. She is very generous and kind. I encourage her to keep being that way even when she doesn't believe she receives it back."

Alarm bells were going off in his head...and he had read George's report to know exactly who she was referring too. "What about major disruptions? Like ones that may need intervention by the administration."

Mme. Bustier frowned slightly before answering. "I can recall two times where that occurred. Once when Mlle. Alya Cesaire was suspended and when Mlle. Marinette Dupain-Cheng was expelled."

Sean turned to a fresh page in his notebook. "Tell me about the first one, the suspension."

"Alya is very… enamored with Ladybug. In the beginning, she followed her to every akuma fight and dedicated a blog to her: the Ladyblog. At the time she was obsessed with discovering Ladybug's identity. She had seen Mlle. Chloé Bourgeois pulled out something that looked like Ladybug's yo-yo and costume, and she broke into Chloé's locker in an attempt to find more evidence. 

"The incident was witnessed by M. Lê Chiên Kim and Mlle. Sabrina Raincomprix. All four students were taken to M. Damocles to explain themselves."

"Was this Mlle. Cesaire's first offense?"

"Yes. And the original punishment was detention for her… until Chloé threatened to get her father involved due to the invasion of her privacy."

"So neither of their parents were contacted before punishment was issued?" His blue eyes blinked.

Mme. Bustier violently shook her head negatively.

"What was the punishment changed?"

"A week suspension."

"At Mlle. Bourgeois' behest?"

"Yes. This also led to Alya's first akumatization."

**_First_ **_akumatization!_ Sean mentally screamed. The way she said that so casually was unnerving. He had been warned ahead of time that only two people in that whole homeroom had not been akumatized. And of those who were akumatized, many of them had been multiple times, even disregarding the mass akumazation of Heroes' day.

He nodded, clearing his throat. "What do you think could have been done better with the situation overall, disregarding her akumatization?"

Mme. Bustier thought for a moment before speaking. "Alya had several friends to encourage her to not do what she did. She didn't listen when she could have. Also, Chloé shouldn't have threatened her father's involvement and maybe it would have gone down differently if their parents had been involved. But maybe not as the last time Mayor Bourgeois was here and an incident occurred, akumatization also occurred." She rubbed her temples as if fighting a headache.

"Would you like to take a break for a bit?" Sean asked, glancing at the time. "Wait...it looks like your free period is almost up." He gathered his papers. "Thank you, Mme. Bustier for meeting with me on such short notice. I hope it isn't too much to ask to speak with you after school today. I will be sure it is recorded for compensation."

She smiled kindly at him and stood. "I'm sure you have more questions to ask me. After school today is fine. Would you like me to meet you here?"

"That would be appreciated," Sean stood and shook her hand. "Thank you again."

"You're welcome." And with that, she exited the room.

Once she was gone for a count of ten, Sean sunk heavily into his chair. 

The full investigation wasn't even complete and it was already a madhouse. 

_Why wasn't Françoise Dupont investigated sooner?!_

~~~~~

Marinette fiddled with the business card in her hands, anxiety stalling her feet from approaching, but the urgency to help keeping her bounce on her toes. 

_Kagami would call me out for indecisiveness right now._ She thought almost bitterly. _And then probably whack me with her foil since it's all for Adrien's benefit._

The ravenette sighed and allowed herself only ten more seconds to get her nerves out. She needed to give this to Adrien.

_3...2...1…_

And with that, she stepped out towards the bench where he and Kagami sat. The short-haired girl noticed her approach and beckoned her with a rare smile. 

Kagami's smile seemed to boost Marinette's speed, returning the smile as she stood before them. "Hey Kagami, Adrien. How was your lunch?"

The blonde looked up at her, a semi shocked look on his face before smiling. "It was delicious. How was yours?"

"It was good." The fiddling returned, but she aborted the action by extending her arm out towards the blonde. "I… this is for you." Her voice lowered to a whisper and she leaned so only the two of them could hear her. "I was at the Board of Governors yesterday, asking them to look into some things… and well… Adrien… I'm really concerned that Lila may be sexually harassing you. W-when you can, please call either of the numbers. T-they can explain why what Lila is doing isn't okay. She shouldn't be….touching you….like that, especially after you tell her to stop."

Adrien's green eyes were wide and his mouth agape. He looked ready to protest, but Kagami placed a hand on his. 

"She's right, Adrien. Please, take the card."

The blonde looked between the two noir haired girls before taking the card from Marinette. "Thank you."

She stood, leaning out of their personal space, and smiled. "I...I'll see you both later." And like that she was gone.


	11. When the Board Interviews pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Juliana and Sean talk.
> 
> A phone call is made.
> 
> And everyone (of age) wants to drink. (Don't drink and drive. Don't let people pressure you to drink, especially if you are a kid. Drink responsibly if you do drink, people. Drinking to get drunk does not make you cool, it makes you stupid. Be safe out there!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Independence day to my American readers. I know the world and the country are a mess, but please be safe out there.

When Juliana passed Caline Bustier in the hall, she knew Sean had completed at least part of her interview. The woman looked pale and drained, with a rather forced grin on her face. But she would be okay. Once they got to the bottom of what was going on, then they could fix it.

Hopefully.

The dark haired woman knocked on the office door and heard Sean's call of "Come in" seconds later.

When she saw her colleague, she knew that interview had been rough on him. "Hey," she greeted kindly.

Sean didn't look up at her. "Hey."

"Rough interview?"

The man nodded. "I had to force myself to not roll my eyes or correct her methods multiple times, Juliana. She _admitted_ to having a 'model student' whose behavior is supposed to inspire the kids who struggle behaviorally to be better. She admitted to having _public_ apologies between classmates to help resolve potential verbal harassment, in which the aggressor is asked to apologize and the victim is asked to accept. She's gone to the yearly training, Juliana, for years. She _knows_ the method we encourage and have seen results with. _Why is she not using it?_ "

She knew the question was rhetorical, at least for the moment. She also knew that this was Sean's way to not combust in front or the staff or students, so she rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "That's why we are here. To help fix this mess."

Sean chuckled, humorlessly. "So what did you find on the CCTV."

Juliana's smile dropped. "Honestly? Too much."

"Oh boy," he leaned back in his chair and loosened his tie. "Want to sit down, eat a bit, and review?"

She didn't have to be told twice. Sinking into the other chair, she let out a sigh as she brought her lunch bag, a thermo, and her notebook. She pulled off the top and base cups of her themos and poured two cups of coffee before turning to her lunch and notes. The blue eyed man graciously accepted the sanity saving beverage.

"So, the good news is that the cameras are in good working order, even after the akuma attacks."

"Thank Ladybug for the Miraculous Cure." Sean toasted with a raise of his coffee cup before taking a sip.

"I was able to review the day of most concern, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng's expulsion, as well as footage from a few other days we had been given a heads up about.

"In the footage, I could clearly see Mlle. Rossi break into Mlle. Dupain-Cheng's locker and plant the necklace. She did try to hide what she was doing from one camera angle, but another caught her. If I hadn't known that it was Mlle. Dupain-Cheng's locker, I would have assumed she put it in her own one.

"I also found the footage from Mlle. Rossi's fall down the stairs….and it was obviously faked."

Sean blinked, trying not to be surprised. "What happened?"

"The two girls had a confrontation of sorts at the top of the stairs - there wasn't any audio, unfortunately - which ended when Mlle. Rossi sauntered casually down the stairs and planted herself at the base as if she had been pushed."

The blue eyed man covered his face again. "I'm going to need a drink after today." He muttered. "And this footage _wasn't_ reviewed prior to today?"

Juliana nodded, taking a bite of her salad. "I also reviewed the footage of Mlle. Dupain-Cheng's verbal expulsion and the aftermath. Her parents were present and there was a failed mass akumatization shortly after."

"Failed?!" Sean asked in alarm, lifting his head to look at her.

The grey eyed woman nodded slowly. "Yes. A flood of red butterflies filled the locker room and you can see a dozen or so students, staff, M. Dupain, Mme. Cheng and Mlle. Dupain-Cheng all either transform into previous akumasomas or have the butterfly mask over their face. It lasted for about two minutes before the butterflies vanished for an unknown reason."

Sean leaned back heavily in his chair. "Another Scarlet Papillon attack? So this means...of the two students who have not been akumatized in Mme. Bustier's class: only one student has never been akumatized, and the other has not been _successfully_ akumatized."

"Correct," She said with a groan. 

"I'm going to need more coffee."

~~~~~

After school, a certain blonde model sat on his bed in his huge, yet quiet room.

Adrien stared down at the business card Marinette had given him, his thoughts in turmoil, going over everything Lila had done that was considered sexual harassment. Because he knew what it was. 

But he had _seen_ much worse in the modeling and fashion industry. His parents may have kept him isolated, but somethings you just can't hide from a kid, even if it happens behind a closed door.

He shook that thought away, a shiver running through them. Fortunately, his mother had intervened and that situation had been resolved very quickly: the offender being fired and prosecuted, and the victim receiving assistance for the therapy that had been needed in the aftermath.

That was the way the policy at _Gabriel_ was supposed to work.

But that is not what happened with Adrien, both in school and at work.

Sure, he was used to people touching him, even if he didn't want them to, usually to readjust an outfit or fix his posture or while posing with another model. But he never felt… dirty after they touched him. 

Not like with Lila.

And he had asked her a thousand times to stop. He had pulled out of her grasp a hundred times. Had informed her in no uncertain terms that he was _with Kagami_ and _didn't want her to touch him_.

And yet she persisted. 

What was worse was Alya and Nino hadn't _done_ anything about it. They _knew_ he was dating Kagami, and yet Alya encouraged Lila's behavior and Nino didn't want to go against his girlfriend, even when the blonde turned to his best friend for help.

So, he had stopped trying to ask for his help.

What was worse was his Pére seemed to… approve of Lila, even after Adrien told him what was going on.

He had mentioned what was going on to Nathalie or Gabriel (on the very rare chances he got to talk to his father) and firmly state that he did not want to work with Lila anymore due to the touching, but every time he was brushed off, citing Lila's contract. (Which Adrien knew was a bullshit answer since models had been fired in the past for _less,_ after all.)

But after hearing how worried Marinette was about _his_ safety - the boy who had been oblivious to her suffering at the same vixen's hands - in the Board's office just a day ago… Adrien knew he couldn't deny her request. If his father, his best friend, and his teachers weren't going to do anything…

Then he was going to pull the trigger.

After all, he wanted to burn this witch.

He hit the call button on his phone and put it to his ear. It rang thrice before going to a voicemail. He hesitated for only a moment before the beep.

"Hello. My name is Adrien. A friend of mine gave me your number and suggested I call in regards to making a report regarding my being harassed…"

~~~~~

Juliana took a deep, calming breath, attempting to get her emotions under control as Sean said farewell to Mme. Bustier. The last half of her interview had taken an hour and the investigator was mentally and emotionally drained. 

_Well that was an utter shitshow to get through._ She thought bitterly, staring at her water bottle, wishing it was wine. Today was only day _one_ of this investigation. _Day ONE_. And they had a handful of others to still interview. This investigation would likely go on for a least a week.

But one thing was absolutely certain: M. Damocles and Mme. Bustier had down right ignored so much of what they had specifically been trained to do to handle discipline and student safety. How had they passed evaluations? Were those not being conducted here too!?

Sean plopped violently into his chair, almost knocking it over, as he sat beside her. "How the hell did the board evaluations miss this shit?" He spat, his face contorting into rage as he tried desperately to calm down.

The grey eyed woman looked at him, understanding and solidarity clear in her face. "Your guess is as good as mine. We may need to also report this to internal affairs."

"Screw 'might'. As soon as this report for today is typed up, I'm emailing IA _immediately_."

Juliana nodded. "I'll do the same, then. I was going to do it regardless, but at the end of our investigation. Since you are doing it tonight, I will too. Two reports are more likely to get a fire lit under someone's ass."

The blue eyed man chuckled at that, as he pulled out his phone, opening the email with the list of people they needed to speak with. "We have two more teachers to interview and -" Sean frowned as his phone buzzed, pulling it from his pocket and eyeing the number. "George is calling." He answered quickly. "Hello?"

" _Sean, how's it going?"_ The other man asked, his tone strained.

"Besides wondering how some of this stuff got past the audits and evaluators, just peachy." He tried to restrain the sarcasm that filled his tone. "What's up?"

" _I got another report from there, a pretty serious one, too. Sexual harassment occuring in school grounds._ "

Sean's blood ran cold, a million prayers to God begging for this nightmare to be over. "Teacher or student?"

" _Both victim and aggressor are minors._ "

His blood thawed, but only barely. "And…?"

" _And no intervention or refusal to do so by staff and guardians. Only one staff member has approached the aggressor to intervene on the victim's behalf, and the aggressor stopped but only in that staff member's presence._ "

Sean let out a low curse. Wondering, not for the first time, what the hell was going on here. "Has protective services been contacted?"

" _Katie Le Fleur will meet you tomorrow. I've advised her to plead for a temporary restraining order for the victim as they are coworkers with the aggressor outside of classes. I took the liberty of forwarding my report to Officer Berger, the officer who took my call. He may also come, but I do not have firm information on that._ "

"Okay," Sean replied, his voice coming out rushed and breathless. Juliana was giving him a concerned look and it was only then that he realized he didn't put George on speaker. "Any other surprises?"

" _None at the moment, and hopefully not again. This couldn't wait until tomorrow, obviously._ "

"Obviously. Do you mind reiterating what you told me to my partner? I'll pass her the phone."

" _Sure._ "

Sean passed the phone over, covering his face with his hands and letting out a low groan. He was going to beg his wife for a back rub and a bottle of wine tonight. Maybe something stronger….but that would have to wait until this investigation was completed. 

  
_And who knows when that'll be if reports like this keep coming in!_ He thought with more bitterness than before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm excited, my dudes! Next chapter is Thursday, and Thursday is going to be FREAKING packed with plot.


	12. When the Board Interviews pt. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien goes to see M. Damocles.
> 
> There is an... incident, the last puzzle piece before it all comes crashing down.
> 
> Warning for anyone sensitive: stalking, a panic attack, and sexual/physical harassment are in this chapter. Nothing explicit and it's fairly mild. But it is there. Please be advised. Stay safe friends. I will use the symbols ~~*~~*~~ to indicate the beginning of the scene and ~~&~~&~~ to indicate the end. I will leave a summary in the endnotes for anyone who will skip those parts. 
> 
> Also, I want to say something:
> 
> I feel this needs to be said loud and clear: NO ONE should ever be harassed, verbally, sexually, physically, emotionally, or psychologically. It doesn't matter what your sex, gender, religion, sexual or political preferences, race, any category society fits you into. You are a person and have the dignity due to you for being a person. Harassment, assault, and other crimes are a violation of that right and need to be dealt with accordingly. 
> 
> If you or someone you know is being harassed, get help. Call a hotline, talk to an adult, HR, the authorities, someone who can intervene and help you. You are not alone. ❤️

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up for you guys. The next few chapters literally take place over the course of HOURS in-universe. These chapters will be jam-packed with the plot. I'll be happy to recap at the beginning of each chapter so we are all on the same page. 😊
> 
> Enjoy!

_Thursday_

As the sun rose, the sky was painted bright pink, as if foreshadowing that _something_ would happen before the day was done.

~~~~~

_09:30_

Mme. Bustier's class was a powder keg about to explode. The tension was still tangible after two days and Adrien was shocked that Mme. Bustier hadn't tried to address the situation. Why did she delay? 

He thanked Ladybug, wherever she was, for sparing him some of her luck, even if it was only to prevent him from giving in to the raging kwami of destruction's desire to cataclysm the one that hurt Mullo's mouse _and_ his kitten. Not even Camembert had helped calm the cat kwami.

Mme. Bustier's voice was tight as she tried to teach her distracted class. 

The tension shattered as the phone on Mme. Bustier's desk rang.

Mme. Bustier's seemed to jump a foot in the air as she dove for the machine, pressing the receiver to her ear. "Hello… yes… okay… I'll send him up… You're welcome." She slowly put down the receiver and turned to face her class, looking squarely at Adrien. "Adrien, M. Damocles would like to speak with you. Please promptly head to his office."

The whispers started immediately as the blonde gathered his belongings.

_Why does the headmaster need to see Adrien?_

_Is he in trouble?_

_What could he have done?_

_Did something happen at home?_

But one whisper drew the blonde's attention and was directed at him rather than about him. 

"I'll give you my notes later, Adrien." Came a soft voice from behind him.

The blonde stood and slung his satchel over his shoulder, his green eyes meeting Marinette's blue for a moment. "Thanks, I really appreciate that, P-Marinette." He smiled at her, trying to cover up his slip of the tongue.

She gave him a very weak smile before looking back at her tablet and the model took that as his cue to leave. He had his hand on the doorknob when he heard Lila's voice break through the whispers.

"Mme. Bustier! May I use the restroom?" She asked, her voice overly polite, and feeling like hot needles in his back.

"You may, Lila, but please return promptly. If you are gone too long, I will send someone to check to see if you are alright." The red-haired woman said as Adrien opened the door and practically sprinted for the headmaster's office, doing everything he could to put as much distance between himself and the vixen. 

Something in him knew if she got too close, if he responded to her calls for him, if he even turned to look, that she would stop or heavily delay him. Question him. Interrogate him. Because ever since he made that important phone call yesterday, he had done his best to avoid her as much as he could, thanking God that they hadn't had a joint photoshoot scheduled for that week. 

And hopefully never again.

But, for now, luck was on his side…

~~*~~*~~

Until those long nails dug into his flesh as he reached out to knock on M. Damocles' door.

"Adrien," the vixen's silky voice spoke too close to his ear. Plagg vibrated in his pocket, silently urging his Chosen to run. "Are you alright? Is something wrong?"

There was a dangerous edge to her voice. A sharpness, not unlike a vixen's fangs before they sink into the flesh of their prey. It made his blood run cold and he plastered a model perfect smile on his face. "I'm fine," he replied, keeping his tone light, normal and in the proper range, not wanting to hint at his distress or disgust. He would not be prey to this vixen. "I just need to discuss with M. Damocles regarding my attendance and the strange schedule I will have tomorrow."

"What's going on tomorrow?" She purred, her face uncomfortably close to his ear.

He jerked away, trying to put some distance between them, and her grip tightened, the tips of her manicured nails pressing lightly into his flesh in a warning.

“Have you not been keeping up with my father’s events?” He deadpanned. “There is a show this weekend. I have preparations for it tomorrow.”

"Oh!" Her voice sounded convinced, but she did not let her grip loosen. "When do we leave?"

"It's not a joint event." He deadpanned, his stomach clenched painfully. "It's a fashion show. Please release my arm. I don't want to miss any more class than necessary."

"O-oh really? I-I could have sworn…" 

Adrien shook his head and again attempted to pull free as he knocked with his opposite hand. "It's a fashion show, not a photoshoot. If my father planned a shoot for you and it conflicts with this show, I suggest you contact him." He asked his tone all business. He still couldn't get free from her grasp as the door to the office opened. 

Damocles stood before them, his large eyes taking in the scene before him. "Mlle. Rossi, what are you doing here? I didn't summon you."

"O-oh! B-but I -"

"I suggest you release your classmate and return to class promptly. I have a very important matter to discuss with M. Agreste." His eyes turned to the teen. "Come in." 

Lila's grip tightened painfully, her nails digging for purchase on his flesh, causing the boy to yelp. 

"Lila! Let go!"

"No! I- I need your help to get back to class. My knee is -"

"Mademoiselle, he asked you to let him go."

"But I need -"

"Let go of me!" Adrien begged, his voice high and tight. "You are hurting me!"

"No! No, I _need_ you, Adrien." Her olive eyes filled his vision, her nails digging for purchase, her teeth bared like a fox going for the kill. A warm sensation ran down his lower arm

A scream filled the hall as Adrien pulled his arm hard, ripping it out of her hands, and rushed into the office, slamming the door behind him, using his weight as a barricade, as if she would charge the door to get to him. He looked around the room, meeting four pairs of eyes rather than the one set he expected, but he couldn't process that at that moment. "Help." He pleaded. 

Everything happened very quickly. The blonde adult male moved to the door, locking it securely, before guiding Adrien into one of the chairs. A dark-haired woman was on her phone, waiting for the other line to pick up, and M. Damocles was on the phone with M. D'Argencourt asking him to come quickly to help defuse the situation.

All the while, Lila was knocking ceaselessly from the other side of the door, a quiet but firm demand to be let in. Why was there a rumbling sound in his ears? Why was the smell of copper thick in his nose?

"He's panicking." A far off voice said calmly nearby, but Adrien was too hyper-focused on the door to acknowledge to voice. A shock of red entered his field of vision, blocking his sight of the door. "Adrien, can you look at me?" The voice sounded closer this time and Adrien attempted to latch onto it, subconsciously copying the person's breathing. "There you go. Good job, Adrien. Can you tell me five things you see?"

"Red hair, green eyes, brown desk, black computer, red shirt."

"Great!" The voice, now he could identify it as feminine, praised. "Can you tell me four things you can feel?"

"My jeans, handkerchief, bandage, my ring." 

The bandage was new. Someone had wrapped a piece of gauze around his arm. Why?

"Very good. Can you tell me three things you can hear?"

"A...a phone buzzing, knocking, talking."

"Okay. Two things you can smell?"

This one took longer, but he took a deep breath. "Men's Cologne and… and coffee."

"Great. And can you tell me if you taste anything?"

~~&~~&~~

Adrien's eyes locked on the woman in front of him and took her in. She was unfamiliar but radiated kindness and warmth. 

"And there you are." She said with a smile. "Are you alright? Would you like some water, Adrien?"

The blonde model nodded, noticing that the knocking had stopped. He took a deep breath as he felt Plagg quietly purr from his overshirt and he patted the pocket in gentle thanks. When he looked up, the red-haired woman had a cup of water for him. "Thank you," he said quietly before sipping on the cool liquid.

"You're welcome." The woman said, sitting across from him. "I'm Katie Le Fluer from Child Welfare. I'm here to interview you about what's going on… well, before that incident in the hallway. Is that a regular occurrence?"

"Her latching on and not letting go when I ask? Yes, daily if not in every class we share or in the hallway or at joint photoshoots. The following me? I guess. In between classes, she walks with my best friend's girlfriend and they follow me a lot, especially if I'm walking with my best friend. Her insistence on being present when I'm summoned is new. She was called out by Ladybug two days ago...so I'm not sure if this is some kind of escalation or what."

"Called out by Ladybug?" Mme. Le Fleur asked.

"Yeah. For months, Lila has been claiming to be Ladybug's best friend, even having an interview with the Ladyblog because of it. On Tuesday, Ladybug issued a correction on the blog's Livestream after an akuma attack."

Mme. Le Fluer blinked and nodded, her expression becoming more concerned. "Have you felt more uncomfortable around her since the news came out?"

The boy stopped himself from running his hand through his hair and moved it to rub his neck. "Yes. While her grabbing me was painful before Tuesday, she had never scratched me. Bruises did happen occasionally and many times I was able to just wiggle out of her grasp. But since Tuesday she's been more… possessive of me."

"I know this may seem weird but, what kind of relationship do you have with her? Officially and unofficially."

_We're enemies!_ The Chat side of him hissed. "Officially: coworkers and acquaintances. Unofficially: I hate her, but she and my friend's girlfriend are _convinced_ we are in love or something. Officially, I am seeing someone else, though, but that doesn't seem to stop Lila from doing...this." he gestured to his wrapped injury. 

"Why do you hate her?"

Adrien set his jaw. "She's been bullying one of my friends for _months_ under my nose." His shoulders slouched a bit. "I noticed it at first and asked her to stop. I made a deal with her: I wouldn't expose her lies if she didn't hurt the ones I care about. She broke the deal when she bullied her way into my house and forced a kiss on me, getting my guardian and bodyguard in trouble with my father and my now girlfriend akumatized." He pulled out his phone and found the picture to show her. "I gave her a second chance, but she decided to be covert about breaking it by isolating one of my friends."

"Have you spoken to your guardian and father about her behavior?"

The blonde cleared his throat, blinking hard. "Multiple times, especially since I work for Pére's company. She part-time models with me. The joint shoots are… awful."

"What did your father and guardian have to say about her?"

"That they can't fire her or do anything due to her contract. Which I _know_ is garbage because I have seen Pére fire models for less." Indignation and disappointment leaked into his voice. Plagg began to softly purr again.

Mme. Le Fleur reached out and placed a gentle hand on his, light enough that he could get away, but present enough to offer comfort. "That is frustrating. I'm here to help and I appreciate everything you can tell me, regarding her or anything else you want to talk about."

He looked up into her, his green eyes shimmering, and he told her everything else: how the photographers and staff at the photoshoots always tried to reign Lila in, how his bodyguard - while being functionally mute - had done everything he could to back Adrien up, how disappointed he was with his friends, teachers, Nathalie and his father for not doing anything. His gratitude for those who had, like the staff, Le Gorille, Kagami, and Marinette. 

He also mentioned how little control he had of his schedule and how it had gotten worse since Lila started modeling with him as he was constantly thrust into photoshoots with the vixen, how he couldn't see his friend often, how isolated he was kept in his room, the threats to be taken out of school if he got out of line, how his friends need to be approved of by his father and couldn't come over if they weren't, how little he saw of his father, and how he missed his mother even if things hadn't been that different when she was alive save that he didn't feel so lonely. 

And how he suspected that his father had someone spying on him at school since he always seemed to know if he did something minor, especially if it didn't constitute a call from the school.

As he bared everything but his secret identity before her, for the first time in a long while, Adrien felt heard.

~~~~~

_10:30_

Katie did her best to keep their conversation as short as possible to not arouse too much suspicion, but with everything that happened, that was almost impossible, spy or no spy. And to remain honest, the model had also informed M. Damocles that he would be leaving school early that day and Friday for the fashion show preparations and fittings, providing a formal work note from Nathalie with the _Gabriel_ logo obvious on the top.

Adrien was sent back to class, with the knowledge that he could leave that room should he not feel safe and return to the office, with twenty minutes to spare… and upon his return, he could _feel_ Lila's eyes boring into him. He did his best to ignore her stare, keeping a model smile on his face, radiating an air of peace he didn't really feel, and sat in his seat. He did his best to focus on the lessons, but his handwriting was so messy from the tremor in his hand. 

His arm, still wrapped in gauze, itched.

Never before had he been so glad that he was required to come home for lunch that day. 

The bell rang and Adrien fought to not rush out of the room.

"Dude, are you staying for lunch today?" Nino inquired in a low voice. 

Adrien shook his head. "Pére wants me home to discuss stuff for this weekend."

Nino slapped his forehead. "That's right. You told me that on Monday. Tomorrow are going to be lonely without you, bro."

"Bro," Adrien replied, placing a hand on the other boy's shoulder. "It absolutely will."

Nino's eyes widened behind his glasses, almost comically, staring at Adrien's arm. "Dude...what the hell happened to your arm!?" He whispered in alarm.

Adrien looked down and noticed the bandage had loosened to reveal several wide moderately superficial cuts running down the side of his forearm… exactly where Lila had dug her claws into him. He pulled his arm away before replying. "Lila." He deadpanned in a whisper back. "She wouldn't let go of my arm when I went to go see M. Damocles."

"WTH dude...seriously?"

The blonde nodded, his green eyes searching out for Lila… but he was too late.

Lila latched onto his previously marred arm, the fresh scabs cracked in protest. "How did your meeting with M. Damocles go, Adrien?" She asked sweetly, her fingers telling him he better behave.

He pried her fingers off in a harsh manner. He didn't care if he hurt her, but he also didn't want her to turn this around on him as well. Now that he was familiar with the tactics that she used on Marinette, he would not fall into the same traps or let her continue to use them on his friend.

"It was a meeting." He replied calmly. "That you are not privy too. I'd appreciate it if you would let go of me and _leave_ _me alone._ " He allowed a Chat growl to escape his throat with those three words, fighting to keep his hackles from raising. After talking with Mme. Le Fleur and confirming they had recorded evidence of the Italian tearing his flesh with her nails, he just wanted to be as far away from this vixen as possible.

He could see the waterworks starting in her olive eyes and he didn't hold back. "No!" He growled, pointing a finger in her face. His voice loud enough to be heard by at least a few other students. "You _followed_ me to M. Damocles office, uninvited and intentionally, delayed my meeting, dug your nails into my arm leaving _this,_ " he gestured to the three scabbed over gashes. "Requiring minor medical attention. And it was caught _all on tape._ You do _not_ get access to my private meetings. You do _not_ get to touch me like I am your property. _Back. Off._ "

And with that, he fled.

Adrien ran, doing his best to not trip down the stairs or bump into other students as he weaved his way out of the school. He quickly texted his bodyguard, stating he'd be on the steps in a moment. 

"Adrien!" A voice called out as he burst out of the school, breathing in shallow, panicked gasps as he turned to see who called him. It wasn't Lila's voice…

Kagami and Marinette were running towards him, identical expressions of worry on their faces. His girlfriend practically tackled him while his friend hung back, her blue-eyed gaze keeping watch for anyone who would intrude or interfere.

"Are you okay?" Kagami asked, pulling out of the hug and searching his body for injuries. "Marinette told me you were injured!"

He showed her his arm. "Just a few scratches, nothing major, but still painful."

"Those aren't _scratches_ , Adrien! Those are claw marks!" She exclaimed, her gaze turned furious. " _Who did this?"_

"Li-" He didn't hesitate. But he didn't have to finish. 

Kagami's face transformed into the blankest mask he had ever seen on her angled features. The Ice Queen stalked back towards the school. "I'll kill her." Her voice was cold, hard, and deadly.

Marinette and Adrien intercepted her, each grabbing one of her arms, emploring her to stop. "No!" They shouted at once.

"I've already put in a report for harassment against her." The blonde continued.

"And I've already put in one for bullying. She will be punished." Marinette added her blue eyes like flames. But her voice has a small echo of doubt. One that Adrien heard loud and clear.

_If the school board doesn't fall for her schemes._

The Ice Queen took three calming, centering breaths before turning to her friends and nodded. "Okay. She won't meet my blade...for now."

Knowing that was the best they were going to get, Marinette released her friend's arm and Adrien pulled his girlfriend back into a hug. 

"I've also requested a temporary restraining order," Adrien revealed. "After what happened earlier, I'm pretty sure it will be granted."

Both dark-haired girls let out long sighs of relief, Kagami burying her face in Adrien's neck while Marinette held back tears.

"T-that's great," Marinette whispered.

A horn sounded behind him and Kagami pulled away to look. "Your driver is here."

"I better go." 

"Text Marinette and I, okay?"

"Promise. I'll be okay."

Neither Kagami nor Marinette looked convinced by that. "I sent you the notes from class via private chat." The latter said. "Let me know if you got them, okay?"

Adrien smiled brightly at both of them. "Thank you, Mari, Kagami. You both are the best."

After a brief hug, which Kagami had pulled both of them into, Adrien headed to the limo that awaited him, two pairs of worried eyes following him as he got into the limo and pulled away from the school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary:
> 
> Lila grabs Adrien's arm before he can knock on the headmaster's door and asks him if he is alright and what is going on. Adrien tells her he needs to give M. Damocles a note explaining his absence for the following day. She asks why he will be absent, and he tells her about the fashion show that weekend.
> 
> Lila is confused and grips Adrien a little harder, asking "When do we leave?"
> 
> Adrien reiterates that it is not a joint event. He is the only one going. And if she thought otherwise, she should contact his father. He finally knocks with his other hand and M. Damocles answers the door. The headmaster tells Lila to go back to class, and Lila refuses, stating that she needs Adrien to escort her back. M. Damocles can see just how tightly she is holding his arm and tells her to let go. She argues again, digging her nails into Adrien. Adrien yelps and tries to jerk free, telling her to let go. After one final refusal, Adrien pulls away harder and there is a scream. He dives into the office and slams the door shut. Lila stands outside and knocks for several minutes, begging to be let in.
> 
> There are four people in the office: Katie, Juliana, Sean, and M. Damocles. M. Damocles calls M. D'Argencourt, Juliana is on the phone but with who is a mystery. Sean moves Adrien away from the door and Katie helps pull Adrien out of a panic attack. 
> 
> Sean also attends to an injury on Adrien's arm. Lila's nails have left wide, shallow gashes on his forearm and they require bandaging.


	13. Lunch Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mme. Bustier and Lila talk.
> 
> A phone call is made. One parent is finally reached.
> 
> And another realizes their error... But is it too late.
> 
> Warning: The confrontation from the previous chapter is in this one via CCTV footage. The symbol ~~*~~*~~ will be at the start and ~~&~~&~~ will be at the end. The only difference is one character makes a comment about Adrien being the boy in the footage as if she didn't know that was him. If you are sensitive to talking, sexual harassment, physical harassment or anxiety please skip that part. Stay safe friends!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last time in IRBM:  
> Adrien went to see M. Damocles and Lila followed him. There was an incident, in which Adrien was hurt. He met with Katie Le Fleur from Child Welfare and reveals just what has been going on with Lila and at home.  
> Lila attempts to corner him after class and Adrien tells her off, also revealing what happened to Nino. He runs off, followed by Kagami and Marinette.

_11:00_

Caline stopped Lila from chasing after Adrien. "Lila, may I speak with you?" She asked in her most kind and understanding voice.

The Italian girl looked torn between chasing after the blonde and granting her teacher's request. Her eyes were locked on the door, her stance screamed that she wanted to give chase, but Alya placed a hand on her arm. The Italian's head snaps towards the auburn-haired girl and a quite conversation passes between them, likely Alya advising her friend the teacher assumed.

Lila's shoulders slouched slightly, but she nodded at her auburn-haired friend and walked over to Caline. "Yes, Mme. Bustier?" Her voice was sweet but trepidation was evident in her body language. 

"You have lunch next period, right?" The girl nodded, slowly. "Do you mind staying here for a few minutes? I would like to discuss your missing classwork and figure out a plan to help you get caught up."

"O-oh, w-we don't need to -"

Caline shook her head. "Unfortunately, we do. You are at risk of failing, Lila, and I want to do everything I can to help you before the term ends."

Lila gave a resigned sigh, lowering her head so Caline could not see her expression. "Okay." 

The red-haired teacher smiled and placed a gentle hand on Lila's shoulder. "Thank you. Do you mind waiting at your desk? I'm going to grab your file."

The Italian nodded and walked back to her desk with her head lowered. The classroom was empty now. Caline grabbed the file, a small notebook, and a pen before joining her student.

For the next ten minutes, the two reviewed what assignments Lila was still missing and set up a schedule by which she could turn in her assignments while also not overloading her with the additional work she would have in the future. Caline stressed that she shouldn't have someone else do her homework, even if her wrist was hurting, and encouraging time management and the study group Max had on Tuesdays.

"I also have something for you," Caline smiled kindly at her student before grabbing a box from her desk. "I had a wrist injury when I was about your age and even after the cast came off, it hurt occasionally. I have found a lot of relief from wearing these." She pulled out a pair of soft support orthopedic wrist and hand braces, freshly purchased and still sealed in their original packaging. "As your teacher, it is my job to make sure you have the tools you need to succeed. I believe these can help you."

"O-oh y-you didn't need to get these for me!"

"But I did and I wanted to. Your education is important. And you need the tools to do well." She held them out to the girl, her eyes pleading for her to accept them.

The girl very slowly took them, but her smile didn't look genuine. It looked more like a grimace. "Thank you," she said, her teeth gritted 

Caline tilted her head to the side, studying her student. "Lila, you know that you can tell me anything you want to, right? This is a judgment-free space."

Lila waved her off with an awkward laugh. "I wouldn't want to impose."

"It's not imposing. I told you that you are welcome to tell me about whatever you want, and I mean it. All I ask for is honesty."

The girl glared at her as if trying to figure out what she meant. "Regarding what?"

"Lila… are things okay at home?"

The olive-colored eyes went wide as if she had genuinely not expected that question. "What do you mean?"

Caline frowned slightly. "You have told me that your mom is constantly busy, too busy to attend parent/teacher conferences or school functions, her phone is always busy, the only communication I've had with her is via email. I'm concerned that you are being neglected, or worse yet...abused."

"A-abused!" She sputtered. "What do you mean!?"

"One of your classmates approached me, concerned for you since you come to school with bruises and rarely have money for lunch or a meal to bring in." The red-haired woman replied, glancing briefly at the notes she had written on her notepad. "You don't have the correct medical or supportive equipment for your conditions here at school. Nor was a request put in by a parent or physician at the beginning of the term or at the time of diagnosis. When you were pushed down the stairs, your mother didn't come in and the school was never reported on the status of your knee injury that occurred on school grounds. And while you were away for most of the semester, we only communicated face to face after several weeks and only a handful of times. So, as your teacher, as a concerned adult, I have to ask: are you being abused at home?"

The girl's face was extremely pale as she screeched. "NO! NO! NO! T-those bruises are from M-Marinette's bullying! S-she takes my lunch money!"

Caline scribbled down some notes. "And why weren't you evaluated by a doctor after your fall?"

"I-I was! The school must have lost the report! O-or maybe it was stolen by Marinette? I had the report in my bag the next day!"

Caline's hand stilled. "The day Marinette was not present due to her expulsion?"

Lila sputtered. "S-she caught me on the way to school, roughed me up and stole the note from my bag."

The redhead wrote some more things down, including a date, as she remembered vividly that day, and a small reminder to check the footage for any sign of distress from her student upon arrival at school. She also scribbled a reminder to ask to see other footage to back up the bullying claim.

"What about when you were away? Marinette was here the whole time if I recall."

Lila didn't blink before replying, her voice shifting to a more calm tone. It almost gave Caline whiplash. "I was very busy with charity work and barely had time to reply to the emails and communications from you and my friends."

Caline nodded. "In that case, is there a better number by which I could reach your mom. I really need to speak with her regarding proper medical equipment for you to help your learning."

Lila shook her head, sitting up straighter, her confidence returning. "The number on my emergency contact list is the only one she will answer, and only if she isn't busy."

"Even in the case of an emergency?"

The brunette nodded slowly, intentionally.

Caline wrote one last thing in her notebook. 

_Find the number for the Italian Embassy._

~~~~~

_11:15_

Damocles' hand trembled as he tried the phone number for the fifth time. 

" _This number is not in service…_ "

This couldn't be happening. He slammed the receiver down into the cradle, letting out a growl of frustration.

"How in the world was this never noticed before?!" He growled out, looking at the offending piece of paper before him. He had dialed the number exactly how it was written once more.

_"This number is out of service -"_ the monotone robotic voice echoed again in his ears.

_Imagine if this had been an emergency and we couldn't get a hold of a parent._ The greying man blanched at the thought. There was an email address listed… but due to the reason, the need for the call, he was required to speak with her either in person or via phone. 

The email was unacceptable. 

Sighing, he turned to his ever-loyal computer and pulled up the web browser. Calling the embassy would be a method of last resort, but it needed to be done.

Mme. Rossi needed to be reached.

~~~~~

_11:20_

Nino stared out over the lunchroom tables, a decision before him. 

He could sit with Alya… but that would mean sitting with Lila, who had hurt Adrien.

Or he could sit at one of the other tables with his classmates (the one Kim sat at looked particularly fun) away from Lila...but also away from Alya. 

Or he could sit alone, which he didn't want to do. 

He really loved Alya, but he couldn't stand to be around Lila after what had happened with Adrien. And he spent a lot of time with Alya anyway. He missed his other friends.

The DJ made his choice and walked towards Kim's table. "Hey dudette," he gestured to the seat beside Alix. "Is this seat taken?"

Alix smirked. "Only by you, dude."

The acceptance filled his smile with warmth. "Thanks!" And he immediately joined in the crazy conversations. 

As he was trying to not choke on a bite of his lunch while laughing at whatever crazy scheme Kim was planning, a heavy hand gripped his shoulder. He looked up, wiping a tear from his eye… to meet Alya's hurt filled eyes. 

Nino immediately sobered.

"Babe, can I talk to you?" She asked, her voice tight.

"Of course, Alya." He replied gently, standing and following her to a corner of the cafeteria. "What's up?"

"Why are you sitting with them? They haven't been very kind to Lila since… you know."

Nino blinked, taking in his girlfriend. _Is this really happening?_ "Alya, we are all processing what Ladybug said if that's what you mean by not being kind. I don't recall anyone getting physical or yelling at her or anything. And they've been my friends for years. I miss them."

"Y-you don't have to talk to her if you don't feel comfortable," she begged, fiddling with her fingers before meeting his eyes. "I just...I need you, Nino."

"Babe," he gently took her hands in his, looking her square in the eye. "I'm already ignored when I sit with her. It would be no different than any other lunch. You just... She absorbs all of your attention, Alya. She's like the sun or some otherworldly creature that you can't get enough of. You barely notice if I've eaten or brought something for you. On Tuesday I only broke your attention because I pissed you off." He took a deep breath. "I was right to question her story about her and Ladybug and now I... I have a lot of doubts regarding her."

"Doubts?"

"Yeah. Babe, Ladybug told you that she's lied about being best friends with a superhero! Wouldn't that raise some questions about her other statements?"

Alya jerked her hands away and rubbed her temples. "So that is what this is all about? You don't think you can get anything from her so you're just going to… abandon her?!"

Nino's temper flared. 

_That's rich coming from you considering Nettie_. He wants to fire back.

But he doesn't say that. 

He wants to. 

But he can't.

He took a deep breath instead. "No. I just want to sit with my _friends_ and _enjoy_ my lunch. That includes you! Right now, I'm not sure where I stand with Lila and until I do, I don't feel comfortable spending time with her, especially after she hurt Adrien. But what I do know is that I've missed time with my friends, and I'm not going to get that back."

"Fine! Go be with your _friends_ while I comfort an actual friend!" She cried, stomping off.

"Babe! Babe! Alya, that's not...ugh!" Nino didn't need this.

He didn't need his girlfriend to be akumatized again.

He didn't need to be akumatized either.

Giving himself a count of ten to be mad, he took deep breaths and walked towards the table where Alix, Kim, and Max sat, praying that the butterflies would stay away.

~~~~~

_11:30_

Mme. Bustier and M. Damocles looked at each other as the speaker call connected.

" _Hello?_ " An unfamiliar and accented female voice echoed in the headmaster's office. 

"Hello, is this Mme. Rossi?"

" _Yes, this is she. May I ask who is calling?_ "

Damocles sighed with relief. "This is M. Damocles from Collège Françoise Dupont. I've been trying to reach you, but the number I have on Lila's emergency contact form is out of service."

" _Really! Oh no! I'm so sorry. My phone was working just fine this morning. I'll have to call the company later. How can I help you?_ "

"It's no problem. We will be happy to update the number later if needed. I'm calling because there has been an incident regarding your daughter and I was hoping you'd be able to come in to discuss it."

" _Absolutely! I can be there in thirty minutes if that's alright. I was already getting ready to head out of the embassy for lunch._ "

"Yes, Mme. That would be wonderful. Another thing, could you not tell Lila that you are coming? She isn't hurt or anything, we just want to speak with you at the moment."

" _Of course. As long as she is informed after my arrival._ "

"Absolutely."

" _Alright, I will arrive in about thirty minutes. Thank you for getting a hold of me._ "

"You're welcome and thank you for coming in on such short notice."

" _Anything to help my Bambina! Caio_ "

And with that, the call ended.

~~~~~

_11:45_

Le Gorille's eyes bugged when he held the door open for Adrien when they arrived home. He quickly seized his charge's arm in a gentle but firm grasp and looked at the three long scratches on the boy's arm. His dark blue eyes looked into Adrien's green ones, a silent question passing between the two.

Adrien's shoulders slumped a bit. "I… you remembered Lila Rossi?"

Gorille nodded, slowly, intentionally.

"I was summoned to the office today to give notice of my upcoming absence from school and she followed me there." Adrien began. "She latched onto my arm and I asked her to let me go several times but she refused to. Then… M. Damocles opened the door and I guess she went into panic mode because she demanded to be present at my meeting with him or for me to escort her back to class and her nails kept digging into my arm...so I pulled my arm away and well…" He gestured to the arm.

The mute man's huge shoulders deflated and he pressed a gentle finger to the scratches, a silent question of if it hurt. 

"They don't hurt anymore. M. Damocles had a bit of gauze and ointment in his office." Adrien replied, smiling at the huge man's tenderness. Of his three guardians, Gorille was honestly his favorite. He genuinely cared about Adrien and did his best to help him feel less lonely at home, even if he couldn't do much regarding Gabriel and didn't speak.

Gorille sighed, let go of the boy's wrist gently, and guided him inside. 

Nathalie waited at the base of the stairs, looking down at her tablet. "Good afternoon, Adrien," she greeted, her tone flat. "Cook has prepared your lunch and after you have finished we will discuss tonight's fitting." 

"Of course. Nathalie, if we could, I would like to discuss something that happened at school with you." 

The dark-haired woman looked up at him with only her eyes. After a moment of looking she stood up straighter, her eyes widening a bit in alarm. "Adrien, what happened to your arm?!"

"That's what I'd like to discuss with you and Pére if he is available."

"Yes of course. Please go to the dining room. We will meet you there."

The blonde nodded and headed where he was directed. "Thank you." 

Once he was seated at the table, Cook - a rosy-cheeked, stocky but compact man with graying, wild brunette hair - brought a tray with a covered platter and cheese tray. He smiled at the teen. "Good afternoon, Adrien."

"Good afternoon, Charlie," the blonde replied, his mouth watering at the smell of the food. "What is for lunch today?"

Charlie set down the trays and leaned toward the teen with a conspiratory grin. "I found a recipe for celestial soup. I doubt it lives up to Cheng Shifu's, but it tasted good to me and G earlier."

Adrien's eyes widened. "That's amazing! I'm sure it is delicious!"

Charlie smiled at the compliment and lifted the tray lid to reveal the soup and headed back to the kitchen. "Enjoy, Adrien!"

"I will. Thank you!" The boy said before plunging his spoon into the delightful soup. 

He was about halfway through the bowl and had passed Plagg several slices of camembert before the doors to the dining room slammed open to reveal Gabriel and Nathalie.

Gabriel's eyes widened from behind his glasses as he saw Adrien's arm. "Adrien, explained this, immediately."

"Hello, Pére." The blonde model sat up straight and pulled out his phone, unlocking it. "While I was on my way to M. Damocles' office to turn in the letter regarding my absence for tomorrow, Mlle. Lila Rossi followed me even though she had neither been summoned nor had any particular reason to be following me. While waiting to be admitted to the office, she latched onto my arm and wanted to know what I was doing. I told her it did not concern her and asked her to remove her hand from my arm. This is what occurred after." He passed his phone to Nathalie and watched the two adults as they viewed a recording of the CCTV footage. 

Both of their faces remained mostly blank, but Adrien noticed the change in both of their faces when the video reached him yanking his arm from Lila's grip and when she stood outside the office, calling for him. 

Nathalie's face went pale and then paler. Adrien was honestly concerned she might pass out. 

Gabriel, on the other hand, went from neutral to shocked to enraged. His hand shook as he handed his son's phone back to him as if he was restraining himself from throwing the phone at the wall. 

It was the most emotion he had seen from his father in over a year.

"I've already filed for a temporary restraining order against her and am considering filing chargers - as this counts as assault and will affect my performance in this weekend's fashion show," Adrien said calmly and coldly as if he didn't just drop a bomb. He slowly tilted his head a fraction to the left. "Is this something that would constitute a termination of her contract? Or do I have to provide more evidence."

"Terminate her immediately," Gabriel ordered Nathalie, his tone scathing. "Scrub all promotions and magazines with her featured. She is never to appear in anything associated with Adrien or _Gabriel._ I will consider contacting every modeling agency I have connections or rivalries with once I review her work. And inform her our deal is off."

"Deal?" Adrien asked, his expression genuinely confused. "What deal?"

Nathalie froze and his father paused. Both looked almost comical if it wasn't for the seriousness of the situation. 

All three were silent for a full minute.

And then it clicked. 

"She's your _spy_!" The blonde whispered, meeting his father's gaze, his face flushed with hurt, indignation, and fury. So he had been right. His father did have a spy at his school. " _She's_ the reason why you know what I've done at school _before_ I get home?"

"Adrien it - " his father began, trying to minimize or deflect, but the blonde was thrumming with rage.

"This _classmate_ has been _sexually harassing_ me for _months_ , Pére, at school, and on photoshoot sets." Adrien's fists tightening at his sides, his nails pressing into the softness of his palm. "I've told you or Nathalie _every_ time it happened, the staff at shoots told you, and my bodyguard told you multiple times, and you both _blew us off_ because you didn't want to _lose your precious spy?!_ "

Gabriel opened his mouth to interject, but the blonde was too angry to let him speak. 

His anger turned icy, his voice turned hard and cold. "I would have _happily_ let you know what was going on in my life if you were _here to listen to me._ I have to _schedule_ to see you, Pére. Do you understand how abnormal that is? We both live in this house and we _rarely_ see each other. All you had to do was _talk_ to me. But I guess you don't trust me enough to be the face of your brand that you want me to be. I know how to identify good and bad influences, Pére. You may have kept me isolated from my peers, but I've been around enough socialites, paparazzi, influencers, and philanthropists to be able to pick out who would be good for your brand."

He raised a hand and harshly pointed a finger point towards the older man. _"You_ _taught me that!"_ The hand lowered slowly, and Adrien's voice lowered with it. Still loud enough to be heard, but softer, in pain. "I would never risk the brand, Pére. I love it as if it were my own."

His eyes stung, but he refused to cry. "I...I don't want to live like this anymore, Pére. I _need_ my father in my life. I'm going to lycèe in the fall, I'm going to be an adult in a few years." His voice broke. "You are all I have, Pére. Mére is gone, Aunt Amalie and Felix are rarely around. I have friends… but I need my father."

Neither Gabriel nor Nathalie moved during the teen's speech. After a few heartbeats, Adrien spoke again.

"I've lost my appetite." His gaze shifted to the floor before turning to Nathalie. "Please give my apologies to Charlie. I'd like my bodyguard to take me back to school, immediately. I do not believe any of us are in the frame of mind to discuss the fittings we have talked about a dozen times. Nathalie, could you please email me the details? I will look them over during study hall if I don't have too much homework to complete."

The dark-haired woman nodded.

With that, the teen made his way past them and out of the room.

His father's voice gave him pause. 

"Everything I have done has been for your benefit, Adrien. You know that right?"

Adrien kept walking, unwilling to dignify that with a response.

~~~~~

_12:00_

Exactly thirty minutes after the initial call, Mme. Rossi entered M. Damocles' office, a bright smile on her face, though her short hair was a bit ruffled and her jacket was wrinkled from the drive over. The headmaster greeted her warmly and introduced her to Mme. Bustier before the three sat down.

"Our apologies for pulling you away from your busy schedule, Mme. Rossi," M. Damocles began after introductions had been made. "But this matter couldn't be postponed."

The Italian straightened in her chair. "I understand. So, what kind of incident happened?"

Mme. Bustier spoke up. "There was a confrontation between your daughter and a male student that led to the male student getting injured." She nodded to M. Damocles. "We have it on CCTV and would like you to see it before disciplinary measures are taken."

Mme. Rossi nodded as M. Damocles turned the screen to face the ladies. On the screen was a close angle shot from the upper right of two students: her daughter and a blonde boy whose face she could not see. M. Damocles hit a button on his keyboard and the footage started. 

The two were standing close together and their voices were too low to be picked up by the camera's microphone. However, it was very clear by the way the boy was pulling away from her daughter that he did not want her to touch him. 

~~*~~*~~

_"It's a fashion show."_ The boy said, his voice finally loud enough to be heard. _"Please release my arm. I don't want to miss any more class than necessary._ "

" _O-oh really,_ " Lila replied, her tone innocent. " _I-I could have sworn…_ " 

The boy shook his head and attempted to pull free as he knocked on the door with his opposite hand. " _It's a fashion show, not a photoshoot. If my father planned a shoot for you and it conflicts with this show, I suggest you contact him._ " 

He was still trying to free himself from her grip when the office door opened.

Damocles stood before them. " _Mlle. Rossi, what are you doing here? I didn't summon you_.”

_"O-oh! B-but I -"_

_"I suggest you release your classmate and return to class promptly. I have a very important matter to discuss with M. Agreste."_ His eyes turned to the teen. _"Come in."_

Mme. Rossi gasped. "That's Adrien? I thought he was abroad!"

Lila shifted slightly and the boy let out a yelp of pain.

_"Lila! Let go!"_

_"No! I- I need your help to get back to class. My knee is -"_

_"Mademoiselle, he asked you to let him go._ "

_"But I need -"_

_"Let go of me!"_ Adrien begged, his voice high and tight, crackling the mic. _"You are hurting me!"_

_"No! No, I need you, Adrien."_ Her daughter looked the boy in the face. She couldn’t make out the girl’s facial expression, but her voice sent chills down Mme. Rossi’s back.

A scream filled the room as the boy in the footage pulled hard away from her daughter, but she didn't release him.

Mme. Rossi watched as her daughter stood before the door for several minutes, knocking incessantly. " _Adrien! Adrien, I'm sorry! Please let me in!_ " She called out over and over. She continued to do so until a tall, mustached man came and escorted her away.

~~&~~&~~

The Italian's stomach was in knots as the headmaster paused the footage and looked questioningly at her. "I… I honestly don't understand. Lila told me she and Adrien were dating but it was long distance due to his modeling work."

The teacher and headmaster frowned in concern. M. Damocles replied. "We can both confirm that M. Agreste has been in France the whole semester and has even made appearances on the local news a few times."

Mme. Rossi blinked. "Really? The local news is still running programming? Lila told me they had stopped due to Ladybug and Chat Noir's inability to stop the akumas!"

Damocles and Mme. Bustier exchanged very worried glances. "Mme. Rossi," the teacher said gently. "What are you talking about?"

She stared at them in shock before her face paled. "Wait, did… she told me the school had been canceled for months because of the incompetence of the so-called heroes! She even had paperwork for me to sign! What... What is going on!?"

Damocles blinked. "Mme. Rossi… we may have a problem."

~~~~~

Sean and Juliana were pleased and relieved that the interviews with M. Armand D'Argencourt and Mme. Mendeleiev were so much easier than M. Damocles and Mme. Bustier's the day before. While Mme. Mendeleiev could be a bit eccentric and M. D'Argencourt was old fashioned, at least they used common sense and were genuinely concerned about their students. And they were using the methods that the board approved of when it came to handling bullying, discipline, and de-escalation. 

The two investigators sighed and looked at each other, raising their cups of coffee in a toast. Mme. Le Fleur had gone home for lunch but would return later, probably with a temporary restraining order in hand for Adrien.

The memory of that whole incident was burned into Sean's memory, and he prayed that the blonde teen hadn't heard the girl yelling for him beyond the door for several long minutes after it slammed in her face. It reminded the strawberry blonde of someone having a meltdown. And that was frightening. 

He had later been told that she had been collected by M. D'Argencourt and had been brought to see the nurse. 

"Thinking about the incident earlier?" Juliana asked.

"Yeah. It was just...really bizarre, almost like a horror movie."

Juliana nodded, pursing her lips. "While I'm not happy it happened, I'm glad it happened in front of Katie, especially since M. Agreste said at least twice and once from M. Damocles for her to let go of him. She should be able to work with that plus everything else he told her."

Sean rubbed his eyes. "I was also glad to see M. Damocles step in. He may jump the gun and not follow protocol on some things, but at least this time he was on target."

"Yeah." She agreed. "We'll have to see what Mme. Beaufort says about all of this."

The two fell into an easy silence before getting back to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone is familiar with my other story, Take a Hint, I'm sure there is overlap in Adrien's speech. I promise I did not copy it, and there is a lot of difference between the two. But the theme is about the same so there would be a lot of overlap. 
> 
> Gabriel isn't done yet. We'll see him again soon, and he'll show us exactly what he plans to do with this situation. (Note: I'm not talking about Papillion. I'm talking strictly about Gabriel. Papillion may appear later, but I'm not sure yet.)


	14. Lunch Interlude pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien updates Katie Le Fleur.
> 
> An order is issued and served.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Funny story about this chapter: I re-wrote one part three times. Essentially, I gave one character access to Second Chance. Can you guess which character it is?
> 
> To clarify, no one has the bracelet for Sass. What happened was while writing this chapter originally, a scene was going to go very poorly. I re-wrote it and it still went south. But it just didn't feel right. So one character intervenes before it gets bad and thus the scene goes better. 
> 
> I'm asking if anyone is able to identify which character that is. 😊

_12:10_

Katie Le Fluer returned to Françoise Dupont in the middle of the students' lunch period, her messenger bag filled with fresh paperwork that she would need to go over with Adrien and M. Damocles.

And a manilla envelope filled with a temporary restraining order for Mlle. Lila Rossi.

A magistrate had swiftly granted the temporary restraining order, effective immediately, as she had assured Adrien it would be. Said magistrate had been particularly convinced by the video evidence by the CCTV. She had looked Katie in the eye about two minutes into the footage and said "order granted" without the need for further evidence. 

Due to the end of term approaching, several options lay at Adrien's feet regarding how he wanted to proceed with school. 

Firstly, the option to be transferred from Françoise Dupont was an option. An extreme one and very disruptive to his education, but considering the staff had not acted sooner to protect him, it was an option open to him 

Secondly, he could return to homeschooling, which the blonde had flatly refused. To him, homeschooling meant utter isolation under his father's roof and he had no desire to return to that life.

And thirdly, he could transfer homerooms and class schedules. This would likely be granted by M. Damocles without argument and would be the least disruptive to Adrien's learning. This was also the option he had expressed interest in pursuing, regardless of what the school did about Lila. 

And as Adrien's Child Welfare social worker, Katie was keenly interested in knowing just what sort of disciplinary action would be taken against the Italian classmate. 

Katie smiled as she saw a familiar uniformed officer waiting for her by the front office. "Pierre, always good to see you."

Officer Pierre Berger was a stockily built man, his tawny skin contrasting tastefully with his blue uniform. His chocolate-colored eyes smiled at her, though his chiseled face remained neutral. "Katie, a pleasure." His brass voice replied. 

"I'm guessing you are here to help me serve this temporary restraining order?" The red-orange haired woman asked, checking the paperwork in her folder for the nth time.

"I got the call shortly after it was issued. M. Killian informed me that M. Damocles had summoned Mme. Rossi and that they are in the office currently. He has also called M. Agreste and his assistant is on her way."

"And Mlle. Rossi?"

"She is currently in the lunch hall. They will summon her after M. Agreste's assistant arrives."

Katie nodded, honestly glad that Pierre had been sent. After witnessing the attack earlier that morning, she wasn't sure how the girl would respond to being served a formal order to stay away from the young model. And with the possibility that Adrien would pursue other legal actions against his classmate…

This could get ugly.

"This could go south fast," Katie stated flatly.

"So I gathered from the reason for the immediate issue," Pierre said matter-of-factly with a nod. "We can handle it."

She took a deep breath. "I'll need to talk to Adrien first. Can you contact me when Mlle Rossi is being collected?"

"Of course." His cheek twitched, a smile threatening to break through his stoic expression. 

With a quick thanks, she headed to the room Sean and Juliana had been using for interviews. She knocked and peaked to confirm no interview was occurring. She smiled at the two Board investigators and pulled out her phone, sending a quick text to Adrien.

_KLF: Hey Adrien. I hope you are having a good lunch. I just got back on campus. Your order came through with no problems. I'd like to talk with you about it a bit more and discuss all the changes. Let me know when you get back to school._

Putting her phone down, she chatted with Sean and Juliana, talking about everything and nothing as they couldn't discuss their particular investigations beyond generals. A few minutes later, Katie's phone buzzed, notifying her of a new message.

_AA: I just arrived. Where would you like to meet?_

She turned to the others in the room. "Do you mind if I borrow your space for a few minutes? I need to speak to a student."

The two investigators nodded and gathered what they needed. A few moments later, the room was empty. 

_KLF: there is an empty office to the right of M. Damocles'. Would it be alright to meet there?_

_AA: sure. I can be there in a few minutes._

Katie locked her phone and sat in one of the vacated seats to wait for the blonde's arrival.

As he had said, it only took a few minutes before there was a knock at the door. The redhead opened it to reveal a rather upset looking Adrien Agreste.

The boy before her looked down by his feet, his hands gripping tightly to the strap of his satchel, and he kept blinking, too frequently, as if trying to hold back tears. His cheeks were flushed and his hair was slightly out of the style she had seen it carefully placed in earlier that morning. 

She blinked and quickly guided him into the room. "Are you alright?" She asked gently, closing the door with an audible click. 

The blonde shook his head, swallowing thickly. "I… um… spoke with my father while I was home, and…" he looked up at the ceiling for a moment, his green eyes shimmering. "It turns out that he did have someone spying on me. He had a deal with Lila outside of her modeling contract, and I guess that is why he refused to fire her, even when I told him about the harassment those other times."

Katie led Adrien to one of the chairs and encouraged him to sit. Once he was seated, she pulled the other chair closer and sat before him. "How did you find out?"

The teen sniffled, pulling out a white handkerchief from the inner pocket of his overshirt, smoothing it with his thumbs. "After I showed him the footage, he flew into a rage. He ordered Nathalie to fire Lila, to have her pictures removed from _Gabriel_ lines, and he was considering contacting his contacts to bar her from modeling in the EU. And then he said 'and tell her our deal is off!' And… when I asked if that meant she had been Pére's spy… neither of them answered, but I just… knew from their faces that I was right." His head drooped and she could see tears on his cheeks.

"Do you think you'll be safe at home after school?" The woman asked, giving the boy a compassionate look.

He let out a small sound, almost like a scoff. "Physically, my house is one of the safest places I can be. It has a state of the art protection system and I have a personal bodyguard."

"What about mentally and emotionally? Would it be better for you to stay with a friend?"

Adrien shook his head. "I can stay at my house. Père rarely sees me as it is and most of his communication comes through Nathalie anyway. Plus, I'm pretty sure my Bodyguard would be willing to keep them away from me for the night. And I have work tomorrow, preparations for a fashion show."

"What about for the weekend? Do you think you will be safe?"

"I… I think so. I think Père has seen his error. Likely, he'll leave me be and we'll discuss it when both of us have cooled off."

Katie nodded, unsure. "Alright," she said with a sigh. "You have my number. If anything happens or you need me to get you, I'm just a text or call away." She looked at him seriously in the eye. "I mean this seriously, Adrien. If you feel endangered or uncomfortable at all during the weekend or after, even if it's not due to your father or Mlle. Rossi, call me."

The blonde nodded slowly. "Thank you, Mme. Le Fleur."

She smiled slightly. "You're welcome. Now," she gestured at the table. "Would you like to review the specifics of your order?"

He nodded eagerly, wiping his face with her handkerchief. "Yes, please."

~~~~~

_12:30_

Alya was sure her mother would either scold her or ask what was wrong, or both, if she saw how she was pushing around her lunch on her plate. The food had looked pretty appetizing when she had purchased it, but after talking with Nino… she didn’t want to put anything in her mouth. 

Her stomach was in knots, her throat was tight as she fought back tears for the fifth time, and she was just exhausted.

She hated fighting with Nino. 

She truly did. 

Because part of her, a part that she mostly ignored because she didn't want to doubt her friend, felt that he may be right. That him taking a break from Lila to figure out where the two stood was probably a good idea.

It still upset her, but she could see his point.

Lila placed a gentle hand on her arm, her long french manicure catching the light. “Alya, you really should try to eat something,” the brunette stated, her voice soft but firm.

“I know,” the bespectacled girl replied. “I’m just not feeling very hungry.”

“Boy problems?” Lila asked, her voice velvety in Alya’s ears as if to keep their conversation from Nathanael, Sabrina, Mylene, and Ivan. 

“Partly. I’ve had a lot on my mind lately… and well, it’s all so confusing.” Alya placed her fork down and leaned her face heavily into her palm. Her honey-colored eyes looked towards nothing in the middle distance.

Lila pulled her hand away and started fiddling with her nails. “Regarding… what Ladybug said?”

“Kinda. Not completely.”

The Italian scrunched her nose. “What does that mean?”

“I mean, that is part of it, along with the part about Nino.” She paused, trying to find the right words. “But a lot of it is worrying about you. How was your meeting with Mme Bustier go?”

"Oh, it went fine," the brunette replied, fluttering her fingers as if the meeting was no big deal. "We just talked about my grades and about… about Marinette's bullying."

Alya rested a reassuring hand on her friend's arm. "I'm proud of you for talking to her. It's her job as a teacher to help you."

Lila smiled, but it didn't look genuine. It looked more like a grimace. "Yeah. A-"

Suddenly, the intercom rang out over the school. _"Mlle. Lila Rossi, please come to the headmaster's office. Mlle. Lila Rossi to the headmaster's office. Thank you."_

Both girls blinked and stared at each other for a moment.

"Maybe they are going to finally do something about Marinette!" Alya cheered with a smile. 

"I… I hope so!" The Italian looked less sure. 

"Would you like me to walk you there?"

Lila bit her lip, looking fragile as she hunched over herself. "I wouldn't want to be a bother."

"It wouldn't be a problem at all. You are my friend, Lila. And friends help each other." Alya smiled and picked up her tray and bag. "Come on, I'm sure you don't want to keep them waiting."

~~~~~

_"Why was Lila called the office?"_

_"No idea, man."_

_"... Do you think it has something to do with those gashes on Agreste's arm?"_

_"Dude, maybe? I mean. I saw those marks. It looked like a clawed animal got him."_

_"Why would she scratch Sunshine like that? What did he do?"_

_"What if it was an accident?"_

_"Didn't Adrien say it was caught on tape?"_

_"Hopefully that helps clear whatever it is up."_

~~~~~

Nathalie Sancoeur walked up the steps of Collége Françoise Dupont, her hair tied into its usual severe bun, her blue eyes focused and unblinking, but something in her face expressed a deep weariness. She did not stop or slow her pace as she entered the building, making her way at a brisk pace to M. Damocles' office. 

She knocked thrice and waited. 

Twenty seconds later, the door opened to reveal two women and one young man that Nathalie didn't recognize as well as M. Damocles.

"Mme. Sancoeur," M. Damocles greeted from his desk, beckoning her to enter. "Thank you for coming in on such short notice."

The dark-haired woman nodded and the door closed behind her. She opened a small bag and pulled out her tablet. "M. Agreste sends his apologies that he couldn't be here in person, but I hope it would be alright for him to be present via video call."

Damocles turned to the woman who was seated in front of his desk. "Mme. Rossi, Mme. Le Fleur, M. Berger, is that acceptable?"

The red-haired woman and blue-uniformed officer voiced their approval. 

The brunette blinked and looked up at Nathalie. Her expression was mixed, distress, and politeness fighting on her face. The dark-haired woman could feel her turmoil. 

_She might make a good akuma_ … Nathalie thought but kept her expression polite. 

After a moment, Mme. Rossi nodded. "That would be fine. I understand the inability to be present due to work."

The words were not meant in harshness or malice, merely an observation, but after the argument with Adrien earlier, Nathalie was glad Gabriel was not able to hear her. With a small nod of thanks, the dark-haired woman pressed a key on her tablet and the older Agreste appeared. With a blink of understanding, she turned the screen to face the headmaster. 

_"M. Damocles,_ " Gabriel greeted. " _Thank you for accommodating my assistant to come in as my physical representative."_

The greying man nodded. "It is no trouble at all, M. Agreste. I would like to make introductions." He gestured to the man and woman by the wall and Nathalie turned the tablet to face them. "Mme. Le Fleur from Child Welfare and Officer Berger who is investigating the incident." The two nodded respectfully at the man on the tablet, both carefully neutral. Gabriel nodded back. "And Ambassador Rossi." M. Damocles continued after Nathalie adjusted the view for Gabriel.

"I'm sorry we didn't meet under better circumstances, M. Agreste." The brunette said, her tone almost flat. 

_"My apologies as well, Ambassador. Lila had shown such promise."_

The woman blinked, confused. 

"She worked for _Gabriel_ part-time as a model." Nathalie clarified.

"And I wasn't informed or signed an agreement?" The brunette frowned but kept her voice even. 

" _We were all duped, Mme. Ambassador._ " Gabriel's cool voice replied. " _I_ _'d be inclined to believe that she either forged your signature or you signed it believing that it was something else. Either way, her contract is void in light of her treatment of my son."_

The ambassador swallowed thickly and nodded. 

" _If it is alright with you, my assistant will gladly fill you in on what she has been doing with_ Gabriel _under her contract at your convenience."_

"That would be appreciated. Thank you, M. Agreste."

Gabriel nodded and M. Damocles spoke again. "Then all we are waiting on is-"

At that moment there was a knock on the door. Officer Berger, after receiving a nod, opened the door to reveal a smiling Lila Rossi and Alya Cesaire.

~~~~~

“Hello, M. Damocles,” Lila began, opening her eyes. “You call…” Her voice trailed off as she took in the room, and her face went pale. “What is going on?” She asked, attempting to recover by leaning heavily against Alya, keeping the other girl from leaving.

Damocles straightened his back and cleared his throat. “Mlle. Rossi, we have several things to discuss. Please, come in and have a seat.”

“What...what is all of this about?” She asked, timidly clinging to Alya as she sat. She took in everyone's faces. Officer Berger and Mme. Le Fleur were completely neutral, Nathalie had an expression of complete disinterest, Gabriel had a slight frown between his brows, and her mother refused to look at her. “Mamma, what’s going on?”

“Thank you, Mlle. Cesaire. You can return to lunch.” M. Damocles ordered in a tone that left no room to argue. The budding journalist left and shut the door behind her, with one last look at her friend. Once the door was shut, the headmaster turned to the student. “Mlle. Rossi, you have been called to this meeting to explain your actions in an incident that involved you and M. Adrien Agreste. Due to the nature of the incident, Adrien has been excused from this meeting, but protocol dictates that parents of both parties be called and, ideally, present for this meeting.” He nodded towards Mme. Rossi and Gabriel before continuing. “Lila, please explain to us what happened this morning at approximately 09:40 in front of my office.”

Lila blanched before her cheeks rapidly colored. “I-I…”

“Lila,” Mme. Rossi spoke, her voice strained. “Just...tell them what happened.”

A sneer marred the girl’s face and she huffed, her posture immediately changing to one of someone who was in complete control and not one who had been cowering moments before. “Why?”

“Because you are at risk of legal action. Action that I, as your mother, can and will remove your Diplomatic Immunity for so you can face the consequences.” Mme. Rossi sat straighter, mirroring her daughter and looking the girl square in the eye. Her face was no longer conflicted, it was carefully carved from stone, but her eyes _burned_ with an intensity that might have turned her daughter to ash if she was a character from a comic book. “So. Explain.”

The sneer melted away and Lila dropped her gaze, staring at her knees, her hands clenched into fists. She began to speak in a carefully quiet voice.

_“Louder so all of us can hear, Mlle. Rossi.”_ Gabriel’s voice called out. His tone was dangerous, indicative of how rapidly he was losing patience with this fox of a girl.

“I followed Adrien here from class,” She blurted out. “I left the classroom because I needed to use the restroom, and Mme. Bustier let me go. I followed after Adrien because the restrooms aren’t too far from the office. I called for him several times because I felt unsteady on my knee and needed support, but he never answered or turned to look at me.” Her voice wavered. “When he stopped in front of M. Damocles’ office, I held onto his right arm, my knee buckling from the walk, and I asked him if he was okay and if anything was wrong. He said he was fine and that he just needed to talk to you about his attendance regarding tomorrow. I asked him what it was about and he revealed there will be a fashion show this weekend. This was the first time I had heard that, and since I am _Gabriel’s_ muse, I assumed I would also be involved, even though I had received no information regarding the show before this. Which must be a _mistake_.” She looked up from under her eyelashes and side-eyed Gabriel and Nathalie. Neither gave away anything. 

Mme. Rossi, on the other hand, looked between her daughter and the fashion mogul, her face blanching as if a very dark thought had crossed her mind at the word _muse_. She didn't interrupt, as much as the words pressed against her tongue.

“Then M. Damocles answered the door and questioned my presence. Before I could answer, he demanded I let go of Adrien and go back to class. Then-” her voice broke, tears falling down her cheeks. “Then my knee started bothering me and I-I could barely stand. I-I needed him to take me back to Mme. Bustier’s class. I-I wouldn’t have m-made it by myself. M-maybe I was holding him too tightly? H-He ripped his arm out of my hands and I fell back, barely keeping my balance. And the door slammed in my face.” She wiped the tears. “I waited for a while so that Adrien could escort me back, and someone found me and brought me back to class before he came back.”

"How many times did Adrien tell you to let go?" M. Damocles asked, the lack of empathy in his voice worrying to the girl. 

"H-he asked me to let go?" She looked up at him, her tear-stained face begging for mercy. "I-I would have let go of him in a moment if he had! I-I'm not the grabby type!"

"But you wouldn't let go when I, an adult assessing the situation, asked you too?"

"I was in _pain!_ " the girl cried out. "It's not my fault I keep getting tripped and pushed down the stairs by Marinette-" she cut herself off with a gasp, covering her mouth like she said something she shouldn't. 

Damocles' eyes hardened, her mother stiffened, and the other four didn't move. 

"This meeting isn't about Mlle. Dupain-Cheng, Mlle. Rossi," M. Damocles stated, evenly. "It's about how you have been sexually harassing a student on school grounds for months."

Lila sputtered. "I _what!"_

The headmaster gestured to the two by the wall and they came forward, the woman held a manilla envelope out to the girl. "My name is Mme. Le Fluer. I'm from Child Welfare representing Adrien Agreste and you are being served a temporary restraining order. It will remain in place until the end of the term, or until dismissed by a magistrate, or replaced by a permanent order if charges are sought."

"C-child Welfare?" Lila looked genuinely confused. "Charges?"

"Yes. Adrien filed a complaint and, while witness statements and the CCTV gave us enough evidence to file for a restraining order, your assault of him today guaranteed the order to be issued immediately."

"B-bu-"

"Lila." Mme. Rossi interrupted, her voice held an edge of caution. "You will dig yourself into a deep hole if you keep running your mouth."

Lila's mouth shut with an audible click, her fists clenched tightly.

The ambassador continued, looking up at the welfare representative and accepted the folder. "We will review the terms carefully and she will follow them to the letter."

The red-haired woman nodded. "You will be notified if charges are filed."

Mme. Rossi returned the nod before the Mme. Le Fleur returned to the wall beside Officer Berger.

Nathalie cleared her throat while shifting her hold on the tablet to reach into her bag. "If I may add to that, M. Damocles?" She asked and a second later received a nod. Taking the cue, Nathalie produced a large white envelope with the _Gabriel_ logo stamped on. "Lila Rossi, effective immediately you are no longer an employee of _Gabriel_. You will not be welcome at any future _Gabriel_ shows, contests, or anything associated with the brand, including contact with M. Gabriel Agreste and all family, especially M. Adrien Agreste. Should it be discovered that you ever attempt or are in contact with anything associated with _Gabriel_ or the Agrestes, immediate legal repercussions will be sought."

Lila stared at her uncomprehendingly while her mother took the termination notice. 

To add to his assistant's speech, Gabriel spoke up. _"This will be our final communication, Mlle. Rossi, as your services will no longer be required. Both my and Adrien's numbers will be changed by the end of the day and if you attempt to obtain either number from classmates or elsewhere, you will be in violation of both the restraining order and your terms of termination. Mme. Rossi,"_ the Platinum blonde man addressed the older brunette. _"I am sorry we've met under such... unfortunate circumstances. Please know that my and my company's opinions of your daughter do not reflect on you or your position as ambassador. Lila is solely at fault for her actions, and as one parent to another, I hope you will guide her to accept the consequences of them."_

Mme. Rossi only nodded in response. 

_"Adieu."_ The fashion mogul stated before ending the call. 

Nathalie put away her tablet.

Officer Berger and Mme. Le Fluer also gave their farewells and exited the office. 

Damocles was speaking to Mme. Rossi but Lila heard none of it. 

All she heard was the roar of rage in her head as Nathalie glared at her… but no butterflies came to answer.

~~~~~

Well, not quite. There were butterflies… but a certain Chat was catching them as they sought out the headmaster's office. Unfortunately, unlike Ladybug, he had to detransform between cataclysms, and Adrien couldn't have been happier that he brought three extra wheels of camembert with him that afternoon.

He had left a message on Ladybug's communicator, letting her know that he had cataclysmed half a dozen akumas at Françoise Dupont before Papillon gave up. Hopefully, more wouldn't appear when he had to speak with M. Damocles...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any guesses on who used Second Chance?
> 
> Also, I want to thank all of you for your overwhelming support from yesterday's chapter. It means the world to me how much you have enjoyed my story and the last chapter. I hope I can continue to give you all the quality you desire. I love you all! ❤️


	15. Realizations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alya finds out the Board is on campus.
> 
> Chloé notices some details about her classmates.
> 
> Max, Kim, and Rose do some research.
> 
> And Mme. Rossi discovers this hole her daughter dug goes deeper than she thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Chapter has a Language warning. Translation in the endnote.
> 
> Regarding Second Chance in the last chapter, I'm offering some clarification.
> 
> No one has the bracelet for Sass. 
> 
> What happened was while writing this chapter originally, a scene was going to go very poorly. I re-wrote it and it still went south. But it just didn't feel right. So one character intervenes before it gets worse and thus the scene goes very differently than how it was building up towards. 
> 
> I'm asking if anyone can identify which character that is. 😊 (Someone did in the previous chapter's comment section, but i want to see if anyone else caught it.)

_12:30_

Alya stood outside of M. Damocles' office, shifting from foot to foot. Debating on what to do.

On one hand, she could snoop and see what this meeting was all about. But that came with a big risk: a police officer and Gabriel Agreste's assistant were both in there. That probably meant that it was a big deal... But was it big enough to risk snooping?

On the other hand, her stomach was growling. She really should go and eat something...

Unfortunately, the decision was made for her as a dark-haired woman exited the room next to M. Damocles' and approached her. A badge on her lanyard caught Alya's eye.

"Hello," the woman greeted politely with a smile. "Do you need assistance? M. Damocles is in an important meeting, but I can see if I can help you."

Alya read her name tag. 

_Juliana Cho_

_Board of Governors representative_

The bespectacled girl blinked at the woman. _What is a representative from the Board doing here?_ "Oh... I just brought my friend up to his office. I was just about to head back to the cafeteria."

Mme. Cho smiled a tad more at Alya. "Oh, alright. Have a great rest of your afternoon then."

"I will," Alya replied as genuinely as she could and retreated to her friends. Wondering the whole way what was going on.

~~~~~

_13:00_

Chloé was convinced something was up as lunch was wrapping up. 

Firstly, Rossi had yet to return from her summons to the headmaster's office. While this could be nothing, as whatever the meeting was about could go on for a while. And if it had something to do with what happened to Adrien's arm…Well, Chloé hoped she wouldn't have to pull some daddy related stunt to get the witch to burn for that.

Secondly, Adrien wasn't picking up his phone or replying to texts - it was ringing before going to voicemail, which honestly scared her. With both him and Lila out of her line of sight, thoughts of something bad happening to her oldest friend kept creeping into the blonde heiress' head. 

Thirdly, Cesaire and Lahiffe were not sitting at the same table. When the auburn-haired girl had returned without Lila she began actively ignoring him, and had opted to sit among Rossi's followers, enthralled by whatever was on her phone. Chloe would need to keep a close eye on Cesaire as the house of cards came tumbling down. The budding journalist had been the one Lila had held onto with tenacity since her arrival and when she was gone things would crumble for Cesaire as well. Lahiffe, on the other hand, seemed to be out from under the spell Lila had cast over the class, which was promising.

Fourthly, Couffaine and Lavillant sat at the opposite side of the table from Cesaire, and they were cuddled close to each other. However, Chloé had noticed the frown that dug into the small blonde's brow as she typed frantically into her phone.

The source of the frown was unknown to the heiress, but if it had the pixie blonde perplexed/annoyed/angry/confused, it may work in their favor. Or it may not. The purple tipped haired goth had her arms wrapped protectively around the smaller girl and was watching her carefully. 

Fifthly, Lê Chiên, Kanté, and Markov were now doing something on the shorter teen's computer, and the serious face was back on Lê Chiên's usually playful exterior. Again, she hoped that the class genius wasn't trying to make the class prankster's mind combust.

Sixthly, while Kurtzburg, Sabrina, Harpèle, and Bruel all sat with Cesaire and Kubdel sat with Lahiffe, each one of them had slightly withdrawn after Rossi had been summoned to the headmaster's office. Based on their facial expressions, Chloé knew that they had been drawn into Lila's web, and likely would be the hit hard when the shit hit the fan. She'd have to keep an eye out for butterflies around them in the coming days. 

And lastly, though this was positive, Marinette was smiling while eating her lunch in the company of Kagami Tsurugi, Luka Couffaine, Aurore Beauréal, and a few others from Mme. Mendeleiev's homeroom class. After weeks of seeing the ravenette slowly deteriorate, it was good to see her genuine smile, even if it was weak. 

Chloé looked away from the girl Adrien had called The Everyday Ladybug. Marinette was a good person, she always had been, from their first meeting in école. And as such, she didn't deserve any of the bullshit she had been dealt with this last term in particular.

Including the way, Chloé had made her life difficult. A burden to add to the dozens the ravenette carried.

Maybe in another life, they could have been friends. 

Maybe if Chloé had accepted the friendly affections of her classmate rather than push everyone away in favor of chasing her mother's elusive love, they could have been close. 

Maybe if Chloé had not stubbornly fought the lessons Ladybug and Pollen were trying to help her learn, she could bask in the glow that was Marinette's kindness.

Maybe things could have been different between the blonde heiress and the baker's daughter.

But in this time, in this place, with so many years of bullying and malice between them… the blonde could only stare across the cafeteria and soak in the warmth of that smile from a distance. It wasn't directed her way, nor did she know what prompted it, but the fact that Marinette was smiling again made warmth fill her chest, and her eyes sting.

And if exposing Rossi helped bring that smile around more often… so be it. Even if Chloé would get burned in the crossfire, the consequences be damned.

It would all be worth it.

~~~~~

Max Kanté prided himself on his intelligence. He always had been the brightest in the room and had done everything he could to keep his mind and wit sharp. 

At least, that was what he could say before Ladybug's bombshell (as he would refer to it for years to come). 

Because, suddenly, nothing added up. 

Max knew from previous interviews with the spotted heroine that she guarded her civilian identity fiercely, going as far as to shut down interviews should even the bare minimum of attempts be made to pry into her personal life. 

When he had asked Markov about the validity of Lila's admission that she was the spotted Ladybug's best friend months ago the small robot had replied speculatively.

_"Max, there is no evidence available for or against her claim. The only ones who could answer that would be Ladybug and Lila. So until proven otherwise, taking her word for it is we have to go on… though Ladybug has made it clear that she doesn't share that she is Ladybug with people in her private life… so maybe that skews the odds towards Lila lying… But we won't know for sure unless Ladybug tells her side."_

But now the results were in, and while the statements were still "she said/she said", an analysis of both Ladybug's and Lila's body language during their respective interviews was… telling.

While Lila sat very confidently in the interview chair, her hands were constantly fidgeting. And not in the "talking with your hands" fashion. More of brushing off questions with a flick of her wrist, laughing at odd times, and clenching and unclenching in her lap. And her eyes constantly moved. Fluttering around the space, not focusing on Alya when she replied to the questions she answered.

Ladybug, on the other hand, sat very still, her shoulders a bit stiff, but her eyes were steady. She watched Alya as the two spoke and her blue eyes were serious when she addressed the camera, as she addressed Paris. Her inflections were genuine. Her focus on the topic was immoveable. And her body language screamed, "please, believe me, I promise I'm telling the truth."

And Max couldn't deny it.

Ladybug and Lila weren't friends.

Lila had lied.

_Lila had lied_.

And that led to one terrifying thought: _what else did she lie_ _about?_

And not only that, but Marinette, who had never treated even Chloé with I'll will when she called someone out, had been right all this time. And he had failed to listen to his friend.

He had stood by as she was isolated by others and mocked. Bullied. 

And that is why he was nose deep in research. Any lie he could prove without a doubt was, not only validation of the ravenette, but also a silent plea for forgiveness.

He had failed his friend many times, but he refused to fail her now.

~~~~~

There were many words to describe Lê Chiên Kim: prankster, innocent, goofball, dense.

But none of them commented on his intelligence, namely that he wasn’t a genius by any means but he also wasn't a complete dunce, except when it came to love. When it came to bookwork, sure he could pass reasonably. He was a chronic average grade student.

Sports were different. He thrived in athleticism. There was a reason he was the best on the swim team (well, second only to his beloved Ondine) and any other sport he put himself in. He lived and breathed sports. It was his element, his first love.

And with it came a lot to learn about social interactions and trust.

He prided himself on being able to read the condition of his teammates. As their captain, it was his duty to make sure they were prepared and had high enough morale to take on any opposition without getting too cocky. Did they eat? Did they get enough sleep? Were they hydrated? Did they have an injury? How had that injury healed? Are they having a tough time in school? How’s their relationship with their significant other, friends, or family? 

All of these things _matter_ to the team because when one teammate was not at the top of their game, the whole team suffers.

And Kim had missed the signs.

When Lila had first arrived, Kim had been politely interested in the new girl. She said some pretty grandiose things, but considering his already class had two celebrities, a super-genius, a published comic book artist, a published journalist, a budding DJ, and a designer that worked for Jagged Stone a few times, he didn’t think much of it. Maybe he was just destined to be around people who would do and did awesome stuff before lycèe?

But then the web started getting more complicated. Lila had thrown in references to other people and said she was connected to them. Which was cool. Because it wasn’t new for his class. Until it wasn’t cool.

Until she started mentioning injuries and conditions she supposedly had.

Kim wasn’t trained in medicine beyond basic CPR and minor injury stabilization, both of which he had acquired through sports at the behest of his coaches and then when he worked as a lifeguard over the summer, but something just felt… off about these injuries she would mention. 

Like her wrist and arthritis. Why didn’t she wear braces or a compression glove to help with the pain? Or at the very least to prevent her wrists from reinjury? Why would she be so careless about her health like that?

Or did she not have those? If so… why not? Surely her mother could afford them, right?

And then there was her knee after Marinette pushed her down the stairs.

Kim had injured his knee several years ago, a moderate sprain, but it had put him out of commission for a good chunk of the track season. He had needed crutches for a while and even to this day occasionally wore a brace for support when it acted up.

Who had medically evaluated Lila after her fall? He knew Mme. Blanchet fairly well, well enough to know she wasn’t incompetent. Had Lila not been taken to see a doctor after her fall? And if so, why?

And then the news that Lila was not Ladybug’s friend came into play.

Suddenly, it was as if a film had been removed from his brain. A haze he hadn’t noticed was there until it was gone. 

Now, all of the "injuries" and "conditions" made sense. Now, he understood why she never had braces or supportive equipment for her injuries.

They were never real. They were fabrications.

Because if Lila had lied about being Ladybug’s friend and other things she was saying weren’t adding up… would it be right to conclude that she may be lying about those as well? 

He leaned in, carefully listening to Max and Markov’s fifty-fifth conversation about their Italian classmate in the last two days. With every conversation, he grew more and more convinced that Lila had been lying.

But why? Why would she feel the need to lie about it all? What would she have to gain? And...

And…

Shit.

He owed Marinette the biggest apology of his life.

~~~~~

Alix Kubdel hated being out of the loop. 

Especially when it came to Kim. Because being out of the loop when it came to Lê Chiên Kim usually meant being pranked. 

And if there was one thing she hated more than being out of the loop…It was Kim pranking her.

For the last ten minutes of lunch and the entirety of Study Hall the day before, Kim and Max had been as thick as thieves, Markov hovering nearby at all times. Their voices had been low, almost conspiratorial, but they hadn't looked up from Max's computer towards anyone in particular during these times. 

It was almost like they were researching for a project more than preparing a prank. And based on their facial expressions, it was a pretty serious project.

She hadn't accidentally forgotten about a group project, had she?

No. Even if she was partnered with Sabrina on a school project she would have been able to recall it. 

So, the two teens must have been working on a private project.

A game maybe?

No, they looked too... worried about it to be something fun. If they were developing a game, Kim would have been tapping his foot and the two would have been chatting up a storm in voices more excited and louder than whispers. Loud enough to get thrown out of the library like last time.

No. They were working on something serious, then. And using all of their free time to do so.

But for _what?_

And better yet, _why_?

~~~~~

Rose Lavillant may be known for being kind, bubbly, and a bit of ditz, but if there was one thing she wasn't, it was stupid.

So when Max had approached her and asked if she could provide him with a list of Prince Ali's charities, she had been a bit perplexed. She couldn't recall him being interested in the Prince's charities before, besides listening to her fundraise for them and donate when he could.

"All of them?" She had asked her bespeckled classmate.

"Yes, all of them would be wonderful." He had replied with an enthusiastic nod of his head. "I'm... I'm putting together a project of all the people our class knows from around the world and a list of Prince Ali's charities would be a marvelous addition to the project!"

He didn't have to say anything else. If his project could help spread the word about the Prince's multiple charities, that would be awesome!

As she sat at the lunch table curled up with Juleka, Rose pulled out her phone and began her research gathering by going to Prince Ali's official website. There she was able to find the bare-bones list that she could work with. She copied the list into a notepad program on her phone and began googling each charity one by one, to confirm if it was still active.

Of the dozens listed, a handful of them were no longer active due to reaching their particular goal.

But one thing that perplexed her again was that all of the charities listed were regarding child welfare and health.

That couldn't be right, right?

Lila had specifically mentioned that she had worked on a charity regarding pollution reduction with Prince Ali.

Maybe it was so new that it wasn't on the official list yet? 

It would probably have a webpage of its own, especially if it was being worked on by the prince, but also the Italian Ambassador's daughter.

But no matter how she searched in google... nothing came up.

_Prince Ali pollution charity - 0 results_

_Prince Ali Lila Rossi charity - 0 results_

_Lila Rossi charity - 2 results - source The Ladyblog_

Alright, maybe it didn't have a website... but no press on a charity the Prince of Achu involved... that was very unlikely.

Switching to her messaging program, she sent Prince Ali a greeting and asked if he could help her with a project. She also sent him a cute meme, because that was their friendship language.

_Rose:_ _Hi Ali! I hope you are doing well. I'm helping a friend put together a presentation on people our class knows, and i wanted to get the full list of charities you work with. are there any that aren't listed on your website?_

_Rose:[Helpplease.jpg](https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=glLMXbU+&id=2878E613922A962F82CE72BF12CF460D06DB14A8&thid=OIP.glLMXbU-p1E5xYp3J5FJuAHaJ5&mediaurl=http%3A%2F%2Famazinganimalphotos.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F11%2Ffunny-cat-memes.jpg&exph=615&expw=460&q=funny+cat+meme&simid=607991185188392621&ck=204C58EB944F4FDD9DABF4A1B41F6A6E&selectedindex=10&adlt=demote&shtp=GetUrl&shid=1a6c8f2f-5bd9-460d-8b7c-c98b0094cbc5&shtk=b2ggZGVhciwgc29tZW9uZSBnb3QgaW50byBpdCEgI2NhdHMgI3NpbGx5Y2F0IHwgRnVubnkgY2F0IC4uLg%3D%3D&shdk=Rm91bmQgb24gQmluZyBmcm9tIHd3dy5waW50ZXJlc3QuY29t&shhk=hYkc5mgowXN8SOeUxbEOO3D7dTaniee4GOo%2BPSd%2FRJQ%3D&form=EX0023&shth=OSH.YrBqC7KUNoDY%252BN87ybjr%252Fw)_

She didn't expect to get a reply back anytime soon considering timezones and busy schedules. So she would patiently wait until he had time to reply to her.

And that left plenty of time to wonder... why did no charity with Lila's name come up in google? She was one of the founders, right? 

Maybe it was a glitch. Maybe they didn't have enough press. 

Maybe...

~~~~~

Caline stared at her computer screen, eyes unfocused and her face blank while she processed what she just read. 

_Mme. Bustier,_

_Thank you for your cooperation in our investigation regarding the concerning reports we received about Collége Françoise Dupont. It is greatly appreciated and helpful in our understanding of the situations there._

_Unfortunately, our investigation has found many areas of concern regarding the management of your classroom and your methods for handling student safety and discipline. Methods that are not Board approved and have been shown to aggravate situations rather than solve them._

_Taking this and the high rate of akumatizations among your students into consideration, The Board decides to put you on probation for retraining. Beginning on Monday, you will report to (address listed here) at 08:00._

_The Teacher's Union has been made aware of your probation and a representative is available to you for immediate discussion of the Board's decision and the evidence found._

_If you have any questions, please contact us at ##########_

_Respectfully,_

_Mme. Sandra Beaufort_

_Board of Governors Chair_

The weight of the words hit her hard and she crumpled. Not with tears or sobs, just numbness as the meaning hit her.

After all of the hours she had spent in training summer after summer, she had still decided to try other methods to help her students first with discipline, and then later with akumas… and her dear students were still getting akumatized, many repeatedly. Her techniques _weren't working_.

And only this week had she realized that. Had she allowed herself to see her failure.

Marinette's near akumatization had been the shatter point when the illusion ended when she had started to understand that maybe she wasn't doing what her students needed. 

Killian's lack of praise of her methods had been a blow to her pride, one that was needed. While he hadn't stopped her from explaining them, the tightness of his mouth and his grip on his pencil should have been a tip-off that maybe, just maybe, Caline wasn't doing something right. 

Alya's stubbornness regarding the pictures she took and her disregard of her _friend's_ \- were they friends? Caline still wasn't sure in light of her conversation with the budding journalist - safety had been a tipping point. 

And then Lila. Just… now Caline could see. She had allowed this manipulator free reign in her classroom. How she treated classmates, how she treated Caline, how she harassed Adrien, her weaseling out of almost every situation.

And now Caline could see that she had orchestrated Marinette's expulsion, or at the very least made it believable.

But it was too late now. 

She saw the light, but only just before everything came crashing down. 

With shaky hands, Caline picked up her phone and dialed a number she had never thought she'd have to use.

" _Hello, you have reached the Paris Teacher's Union…"_

~~~~~

_13:00_

One and a half hours was all it took for Mme. Rossi to lose every ounce of trust she once had in her daughter. 

It all started with Adrien Agreste. Mme. Bustier and M. Damocles had confirmed that he had not been abroad for months, but rather had been in school and, inferred by the restraining order, had no intentions towards her daughter. 

Then it had been _Gabriel_ and her employment under the fashion mogul as a model. As his _muse_. A dangerous and creepy term for a grown man to use to reference a minor, and Mme. Rossi had expressed concern to Mme. Sancoeur, who had paled at the realization. While the dark-haired woman and Lila had expressed fervently that nothing inappropriate was going on, the brunette had been less inclined to believe them.

Especially since her daughter's sexual harassment of his son had been going unchecked for months.

She would speak with her legal team regarding this for sure.

Then it was about Ladybug and Chat Noir. M. Damocles had informed her that regardless of their failure to cleanse the akuma during the first Stoneheart attack, Ladybug had without fail cleansed and restored Paris after every akuma attack. This had meant that school never needed to be canceled more than a few hours if an akuma happened nearby or within the school walls.

She had honestly felt so duped. She had trusted her daughter and hadn't even tried to verify the information.

She was an ambassador for crying out loud.

Considering how she had never been called for point number three, she wasn't the only one who had been duped. And that involved an incident between Lila and a female student who supposedly stole an heirloom and test answers. And in retaliation for Lila ratting her out had pushed her daughter down the stairs.

Mme. Rossi was about to cause an international incident when M. Damocles showed her the footage…. Clearly showing her daughter _faking_ the fall. 

The ambassador's hands were shaking with rage, but she fought to keep her cool. She turned to her daughter, letting out a slow breath. "This does not look like a 'Marinette keeps tripping me down the stairs' type of situation."

Lila didn't look up from her legs. She hadn't moved from her hunched, hands-on knees position since she had been ordered to explain her actions towards Adrien. She had refused to speak since Mme. Sancoeur left. 

And Mme. Rossi let her keep her silence. Because she knew her daughter was finished. She was caught. 

But unlike white lies that could get you a slap on the wrist, she had harassed a student and bullied another, committed truancy and lied about why she wasn't in school - to the point that her mother would likely be investigated for fraud and child neglect, faked medical conditions to garner sympathy and to not do her work, as well as potential defamation of character if the muse thing wasn't real. What other things had her daughter done?

"Lila." Mme. Rossi stated firmly. "Look at me."

The girl resisted until the older woman grabbed her chin in a firm but gentle grip and forced her head up. Her green eyes burned into her mother with hatred.

"Do you understand just how much trouble you could get in for all of this?"

Her daughter remained silent.

"Not only will you likely be barred from modeling anywhere in the EU, but Sexual harassment goes on your permanent record. Every employer will see it, especially if charges are filed. Which I will encourage Adrien to file."

Her daughter blinked but said nothing. 

"You lied to me and the school to give yourself a two-month vacation, during which you defamed two heroes to me and lied about a non-existent charity, both finable offenses in the _thousands_ of Euros. Truancy of that magnitude will likely get you expelled alone. But now I will likely be under investigation for child neglect and fraud. And you will be charged with fraud if you took money from anyone under pretenses."

Another blink, but besides that, no response.

"You faked medical conditions to get more time on your assignments. That is a finable offense. If your classmates did any assignments for you or you copied them, you could be expelled."

No blink this time.

"And that's all if you aren't hiding something else. We could be forced to be sent back to Italy, Lila. Is that what you wanted? Because if you just wanted to remain in Italy-

"No." The girl replied, finally speaking.

"Then why do this?" Mme. Rossi let go of her daughter's chin. 

The girl again refused to respond. 

For a long moment, everyone was silent. 

And Mme. Rossi's mind spun as one key thing kept coming up in her mind. 

_Tripped by Marinette._

_Tripped by Marinette._

_Tripped by Marinette._

"Figlio di puttana," the older Italian whispered. "What did you do to that girl?!"

Again she was met with silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Figlio di puttana - Italian - "Son of a bitch"
> 
> Funny story, I was checking my tags and found that I had accidentally tagged this story as Adrienette when I meant to tag it as Lukanette. I have fixed it and I'm so sorry to anyone who was confused by that tag.


	16. Worried Friends and Dinner Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alya can't reach her best friend.
> 
> Some Lukanette (finally) and a worried Kagami.
> 
> Nino gets a hold of our favorite Sunshine Child.
> 
> Adrien has dinner with his father.
> 
> Warning: One character is Hypervigilant. Be safe friends. 
> 
> Ladybug and Chat Noir finally discuss what's going on at Francoise Dupont.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To all the Lukanette fans reading this story, I'm sorry I have neglected you. Here, please enjoy some soft Lukanette. (Also, I apologize if my writing of Luka is not up to snuff. He's the one that I'm the least confident writing.)
> 
> Also some freaking LadyNoir friendship up in here! Their interaction was barebones during the akuma fight, so hopefully, this scratches that itch for some of you all. 
> 
> Enjoy!

_(13:30)Alya: hey girl! How did it go?_

_(14:45)Alya: Lila? Are you there?_

_(15:30)Alya: you've been gone for hours. I just wanna make sure you are okay. Message me when you can_

_(16:30)Alya: school's out, would you like me to send you the homework for today?_

~~~~~

_16:30_

Once the last bell rang, Marinette jumped up from her chair, her belongings already collected, and practically ran out of the classroom. She had done this all day, especially after Lila had been summoned to the office, mostly out of avoidance of Alya until she could come to terms with her epiphany from two days prior, and to also avoid the other members of Mme. Bustier's class. 

There had been a subtle change in the class since Ladybug's interview. So subtle that Marinette wasn't entirely sure if it was her paranoia or a legitimate change. 

Alya was much more jumpy and prone to outbursts. She and Nino hadn't spoken since lunch and they actively avoided each other's presence.

Nino was much more reserved, but there was a fire in his eyes that made Mari shiver. It reminded her of Bubbler. 

Max had been nose deep in whatever wifi device he had on hand, Markov hovering nearby. This wouldn't have been unusual if it wasn't for Kim doing the same. Kim was hovering over the class genius, reading and _taking notes_ on what the shorter boy was looking at. 

It was unnerving.

And besides that, since lunch, Kim had been giving her this soft look and had tried to approach her several times. Considering this was the same guy who had been maliciously tripping her for weeks, she was very wary of him and didn't allow him to get too close.

And then there was Chloé. To be fair, Mari had felt the blonde's gaze on her for about a month or so, before the bullying and the lies had escalated. Curiously, her childhood bully seemed to be the only one who did not participate in at least the physical bullying and taunts. She had no idea if the blonde was involved in the rumors, but something in her gut told her no. 

_Why?_

She had no answer for that and had been too afraid to approach the heiress to ask.

So, she ran. Not wanting to stay too long in an unsafe environment. Not wanting to hear a new rumor. Not wanting to be-

In her haste to escape the classroom, she ran right into someone at the door. A pair of lightly tanned arms encircled her, a soft _oof_ escaping their chest as they stopped the two of them from tumbling to the ground. 

Panic welled up inside Marinette's chest as apologies began pouring from her lips.

"Easy there, Melody." A gentle, masculine, and very familiar voice said soothingly. "I got you. No harm, no foul."

The panic suddenly vanished, replaced so quickly by relief that tears stung the ravenette's blue eyes.

_I need a vacation._ She thought as she buried her face in his chest. He carefully guided her away from the doorway, humming her song to help soothe her. 

After a few moments, Marinette was calm enough to lift her head from his chest and smile at him. "Hi, Luka! How are you?"

He returned her smile, but his blue-green eyes were filled with worry. "I'm good. How are you?"

She shrugged. "Not good, but not awful."

Luka pulled her closer, resting his head on the top of hers. "Okay." He let out a rush of air and began breathing in deep, slow breaths. Unconsciously, she followed suit, keeping her eyes closed and pressing her ear to his chest, filling her head with the sound of his heartbeat.

The world around her melted away, and with it the anxiety. Lila couldn't hurt her here. Alya couldn't hurt t her here. Kim couldn't hurt her here.  
  


Safe.

Safe.

Safe.

Several moments later, Luka lifted his head. "Feeling better?"

Marinette nodded and smiled as she too lifted her head. Blue met sea blue, and they both smiled at each other, warmth filling every part of her, chasing away the chill that had seeped into her very bones since the day started. "Thank you."

Luka's smile softened and he pressed a small kiss to her forehead. "My pleasure, Melody. I will always be here to help you."

For a long moment, they basked in each other's arms, students rushing past as they excitedly headed home for the day. No one bothered them and for that both were thankful.

After several long minutes, Marinette spoke up again.

"Have…" her voice lowered to a whisper. "Have you heard from Adrien?"

The musician's face darkened slightly, worried, and he guided her towards one of the flights of stairs, his fingers entwined with hers. "Not since lunch. Have you? Is he okay?"

She shook her head. "I haven't seen or heard from him since lunch. I've been checking my phone, but nothing, not even confirmation he got the notes from class. Maybe he never came back?" Worry was evident in her voice. Even if she had decided to let go of her crush on the blonde and even though his advice had hurt her, she couldn't find it in her to stop caring for his wellbeing. He was her friend, after all.

And the worry was hard to keep away, especially after seeing the marks Lila had left on him. 

"Kagami hadn't mentioned anything since lunch,” Luka replied. “And she looked really concerned when I saw her last passing period. Unfortunately, we weren't able to talk. Maybe we can find her before she leaves…"

The two hurried to the locker room to grab the things they would need for homework that night and rushed towards the front door...only to see Kagami's ride pull off. Mari pulled out her phone and fired off a quick text to the fencing champion, hoping for any kind of answer.

_Mari: hey Kagami. Luka and I just missed you, so have a good evening! Have you heard from Adrien?_

The fencer's response was very quick. 

_Kagami_ : _sorry for leaving so abruptly. My mother has something planned for me this evening. I haven't heard from him, I was hoping you had. He didn't return to class?_

_Mari: No he didn’t. I sent him the notes from class, but he didn’t send me a confirmation that he received them._

_Kagami: Odd. He promised he would at lunch._

_Mari: Yeah. I’m worried. What should we do?_

_Kagami: I’ll call him. I’ll let you know what I find._

_Mari: Okay. thank you_

Marinette put her phone in her pocket and looked up at a Luka. “She hasn’t heard from him either. She’s going to call him now.”

Luka pursed his lips. “Then I guess we are in limbo for now.” He pulled the ravenette closer to him. “Can I walk you home?”

Mari smiled, the expression weak, but it was better than Monday. “I’d like that.”

~~~~~

_(16:50)Alya: this isn't funny, Lila._

_(17:15) Alya: I'm calling. Please pick up._

_Alya Cesaire called at 17:15_

_You have one voicemail._

_"Lila? Lila, you are scaring me! What happened? Are you okay? Please please call me back!"_

~~~~~

_17:30_

Adrien retreated to his room as soon as he got home from the last fitting for the fashion show. He didn't look at Nathalie who stood at the top of the stairs or acknowledge her. He was still angry, but more than that, he was exhausted. 

Getting his school schedule rearranged, and making sure other safety measures were in place to keep Lila away at school had been exhausting. M. Damocles seemed to have finally gotten his head out of the sand and hadn't tried to defend or minimize the Italian's actions, which Adrien was grateful for. And his secretary had been very helpful in getting his paperwork in order.

But his blood still boiled considering that Marinette hadn't received the same courtesy. Marinette had been ignored. Marinette's pain had gone unnoticed. 

And once the liar's kingdom burned, they'd all better beg for the Everyday Ladybug's forgiveness.

Before he shut the door to his bedroom, he turned to look at Gorille. The hulking man gave him a nod. They had spoken on the way back to the house, for tonight Nathalie and Gabriel weren't welcome near Adrien.

Both of them were on thin ice. 

Adrien smiled slightly back at his bodyguard. "Thank you. I'll be out for dinner."

The man smiled back and stationed himself to stand guard.

After the door shut and locked with a quiet click, Adrien opened his overshirt and Plagg floated out. The Cat Kwami looked his kitten over, before settling on his shoulder and curled around the boy's neck like a living scarf, purring gently. The teen smiled, scratching the kwami behind his ears before walking over to his desk. 

He booted on his computer, put down his satchel, and sat in the chair. 

Did the last eight hours happen? 

Did the last 24 hours happen?

Because, besides Chloé and Marinette putting in reports to the Board, he and Chloé hadn't had much of a hand in the orchestrating of Lila's downfall. That had been shouldered by Ladybug and Lila herself. She had decided to fall on the hill named "Sexual Harassment of Adrien Agreste", but she wasn't finished off. 

The stage was set, the school was being investigated and now at least the administration would have a tighter watch on Lila. She may not be able to wiggle too far in the trap.

But they had to finish her off.

Adrien did not doubt that these were only setbacks to the vixen. He saw how many in his class still flocked to her. He saw how tightly Alya hung by her side. 

When it all would come crashing down, they would need to keep a tight eye on the auburn-haired journalist and the rest of the class. He could already feel the ache of multiple transformations and hoped he had enough cheese to last the week.

But for now, he had some emails to look over and a fashion show to prepare for.

The first email was from Nathalie, informing him that Lila's contract had been terminated and due to Lila having his phone number, it had been changed to comply with the restraining order and the terms of her termination.

As he read the email, he grabbed his phone and texted Mme. Le Fleur first, then Chloé, Kagami, his bodyguard, Marinette, and, after some deliberation, Nino.

_Adrien: Hey man. It's Adrien. My number has been changed to ######### due to the situation with Lila. I'm trusting you to not give this new number to her._

Not two minutes later, Nino video called him.

" _Bro, what the hell!"_ The cap-wearing teen exclaimed. 

"Dude, I _just_ found out my number was changed." Adrien shot right back. 

" _Okay really. What the actual hell is going on, Adrien?_ " Nino looked confused and hurt. " _You vanished right before lunch and now you have a new number?_ "

Adrien took a breath to steady himself. "What's the story Lila told?"

The other teen blinked before replying. " _She never came back to class after lunch, and Alya hasn't been able to reach her. So your guess is as good as mine."_

The blonde blinked. "Really?"

Nino nodded slowly.

"Wow..." Adrien breathed. "I'm surprised. She um... She has a meeting with M. Damocles regarding a temporary restraining order I requested."

_"You what?!"_ Nino exclaimed, nearly dropping his phone.

"Yeah. She... Well." The blonde stopped himself from running a hand through his hair. "She's been sexually harassing me for months and when she followed me to the office, I was about to have a meeting with a social worker from Child Welfare. I had reported her harassment yesterday and they quickly scheduled me to see her. So...when Lila clawed my arm..."

_"Oh my gosh... Dude. She - wait, she's been sexually harassing you?"_

"...Yeah, Nino." Adrien replied, raising an eyebrow questioningly. "What do you think it's called when someone touches you without your consent? Especially when it's done so sensually?"

Nino's eyes bugged and his mouth dropped open. After a long moment, the bespectacled teen took off his cap and rubbed his eyes under his glasses. _"My gosh. Adrien, man... I'm so sorry. I just... Alya told me that you two were in love and after you announced you were dating Kagami, they were trying to convince you that you were with the wrong girl...and I just stayed out of it. Damn... Adrien. I'm so sorry, man."_

The model blinked. So, that was the lie she was telling to get Alya to encourage her and Nino to back off? Geez... "I accept your apology, Nino. What's done is done."

The bespectacled boy ran a hand over his very short hair. _"So, is that the reason why you never returned to class?"_

"Actually," Adrien hesitated for a moment. "That's because I was having my schedule changed."

Nino blinked, hard, his expression crumbling. 

"To, uh, comply with the restraining order, it would be better if I transferred classes. Starting Monday, I'll be put in Mme. Mendeveiev's homeroom. So, I'll still be in school, just... not in the same classes anymore."

The budding DJ was silent for a long moment. _"Wh...why are you changing classes and not her? She's the one with the restraining order!"_

"She's already way behind in class, Nino," Adrien began, but the other boy gave him a look that told him to knock it off. "It's also for my safety. Alya is her best friend and will likely do anything she can to 'fix' our 'broken' relationship. And maybe try to force us to talk it out, which would be a violation of the order. If that were to happen... well, legal action would be taken."

Nino let out a soft breath and nodded in understanding. _"I'll miss you in class, man."_

"Hey! I'll still be at Francoise Dupont! We'll see each other during lunch, though I won't be able to sit with you if you are sitting with Alya."

As the words left his mouth, he understood the situation he was putting his best friend in. Nino would have to choose: Alya or Adrien. And that was a position Adrien hated to see his friend in.

The DJ nodded, putting back on his cap. _"I...I have some homework to tackle,"_ He said, his voice fractured. _"So... I'm gonna let you go. I'm glad you are okay, man. I'll talk to you later?"_  
  


"Definitely," Adrien replied with a sad smile. "And for what it's worth, I'm sorry this is the situation we are in."

_"Yeah, man. Me too."_

~~~~~

Adrien: _Hey Kagami. I got a new number due to the whole situation with Lila. My new number is ########_

Kagami: _Oh thank God you are okay. When you didn't return to class or text Mari or I, i was wondering if I would need to call the police._

Adrien: _I'm so sorry about that, Kagami. I had to stay in an office for most of the day, while Lila was served the order and so my schedule could get changed, and then I got rushed to the fashion show fitting and I just didn't really have a moment to text. I am safe._

Adrien: _Picture to confirm wellbeing. smile.jpg_

Kagami: _Liked your picture_

Kagami: _I'm glad you are safe and well._

Kagami: _Mother is calling for me. Please let Mari know you got those notes and let Luka know so he can help her stop catastrophizing. She was really worried about you._

Adrien: _Sending those messages now. Have a good night, Kagami. I'll talk to you when I can tomorrow, promise. <3_

Kagami: _I'll hold you to that. <3_

~~~~~

Sunshine: _Hey Mari. It's Adrien. My number got changed because of the whole Lie-la situation._

Sunshine: _I'm sorry for worrying you. I've been in the office most of the day, getting my schedule changed. I've got a restraining order against her, so I had to make sure that the school would comply with it._

Sunshine: _Obviously they will. But you can never be too careful._

Sunshine: _Thank you so much for the notes, Marinette. I really appreciate it._

~~(Unsent) Sunshine: _apurrreciate!_~~

Sunshine: _Have a good night, Marinette._

 ~~(Unsent) Sunshine:~~ ~~_Sleep well, Princesse_ ~~

~~~~~

Model Man: _Hey man! It's Adrien. I got my number changed due to the whole Lila situation. My new number is #########_

Model Man: _Are you with Mari?_

Music Man: _Hey man! I'll be sure to update your contact. What happened? You vanished right after lunch._

Music Man: _Yeah, I'm with her. She's resting. The rest of the day was pretty hard on her._

Music Man: _I hate seeing her like this. What's the next step in taking this witch out?_

Model Man: _I got a restraining order against Lila for her sexual harassment and for attacking me today._

Model Man: _After that, I was in negotiation to move classes and get my schedule changed. I'll be in Mme. Mendeveiev's class come Monday morning._

Model Man: _I hate seeing her like that too. Has she been getting enough rest?_

Model Man: _I wanted to talk to you, Kagami and Chloe about that. Karma just seems to be steamrolling faster than we can. While nothing has come out publicly to the class, I think it is safe to assume that her mom now knows somethings up. Her mom was there when the order was given to Lila. Any ideas? I was planning on seeing if I could talk to Jagged Stone over the weekend._

Music Man: _She's been resting enough, I think. But she so bogged down by all her responsibilities that sometimes self-care gets pushed to the side. I've been helping her with it. She's getting better at doing it herself._

Music Man: I've _got a few. Do you think it'll be possible to video call later?_

Model Man: _That's fantastic! I'm glad she has you._

Model Man: _What time?_

Music Man: _Maybe around 9 ish?_

Model Man: _I can do that._

Music Man: _Great! I got to go. Tom and Sabine are calling for dinner._

Model Man: _Enjoy!_

~~~~~

_18:30_

Any other day, Adrien would have been surprised and delighted to see his father sitting at the table when he arrived in the dining room.

But considering the last several hours and the heavy conversation that still hung between them, Adrien's expression hardened. He turned to look at Gorille, who had followed him and asked him to stay. After the large man nodded and stationed himself in one of the corners, Adrien shifted into "model mode", his walk became a strut, back straight, perfect timing to his chair. 

If Gabriel noticed, he didn't comment on it. 

The junior Agreste sat in his usual seat, and for once was grateful to be out of arms reach of his father. The senior man cleared his throat and Charlie came out with dinner. Wheeling his cart over to Gabriel first, he presented him with a tray and uncovered it without comment. He then moved to Adrien and deposited the second tray, smiling as he lifted the cover to reveal the same meal as his father, but with a cup of celestial soup instead of a small salad. 

Adrien gave a small but genuine smile to the chef before the man retreated to the kitchen.

Before touching the food presented, the green-eyed teen looked back towards his father, waiting for the cue to eat, and he found the older man leaning on the table, his fingers steepled by his lips, his blue-grey eyes boring into his son. 

Maybe a few days ago, Adrien would have shrunk under that gaze.

But not after learning that this man, _his Father_ , had a classmate spy on him. A classmate who sexually harassed him, who reported his doings - even innocuous ones - to his father, who hurt his friend... His blood boiled as he returned the look. He wasn’t going to back down. His father didn’t have the right to bully him over what happened today.

He’d already discussed charges with Officer Berger and allowed the officer to take pictures for evidence. From what the stoic man had told him, charges could be filed by Monday at the latest, especially since a temporary restraining order had been issued. He had also discussed it with Mme. Le Fleur the deal his father had with the vixen, unsure of what other things he could do.

She had mentioned that because Lila worked with him and the sexual harassment occurred on the clock, he should contact the Human Resources department of _Gabriel_ and file a complaint. Even if Lila was fired, Gabriel had ignored the complaints from his son and his employees regarding her. Having another report directly from the victim of Lila’s harassment would add fuel to the fire.

He had done as she suggested and the HR representative he spoke with told him that, even though Lila was no longer an employee, they would review the reports they had regarding her and get back to him about how they would proceed.

In other words, they knew they were screwed.

Gabriel and _Gabriel_ could face serious legal action for his delay in action. And they had probably already consulted the legal team to determine just how screwed they were.

And Adrien had a feeling _that_ was why his father was staring him down. 

The elder Agreste was the first to break the stare, his eyes moving to a small stack of papers that rested on the right side of the table. “I’ve spoken to our attorneys and Human Resources regarding the unfortunate situation regarding Mlle Rossi.”

Adrien rolled his eyes but didn't interrupt. _If that’s how you want to put it, Père…_

“We have updated our policy regarding reporting all forms of harassment, as that was and will always be not tolerated at _Gabriel_. We are also reviewing just where things went wrong in the reporting and delay in action.”

“We both know where the fault for that lies, Père,” Adrien stated, his voice firm, cold, and hard.

There was a twitch in Gabriel’s cheek. “And it won’t happen again.”

“I would hope so.” The blonde deadpanned, picking up his utensils and began to eat, starting with the delicious soup he hadn’t had the chance to enjoy completely that afternoon. “So, what do you want me to do? You are clearly setting this up to keep me silent, Père.”

Another twitch. “I’m not.” The blue-grey eyes met green. “We are preparing for damage control. You’re... Bringing this to light... “ The way he said those words made it clear to Adrien that that was _not_ what his father wanted to say or thought about the situation. “If this were to get out, then the company must be able to respond appropriately to criticism and investigation.”

“You mean when not if.”

The blue-grey eyes blinked.

“I’ve filed charges against Mlle Rossi.”

Gabriel sat up taller. “Without consulting me?”

Adrien’s brows furrowed. “At the recommendation of _Child Welfare_.” He said, almost defiantly.

“You should have consulted me. I’m your fa-”

Adrien set down his utensils, fighting the urge to slam them down. “You are also the one that _ignored_ my reports of her sexual harassment for _months_ , Père. You are complicit in allowing it to continue. I took matters into my own hands because _you_ forced my hand.” He glowered at the man across the way. “Why should I trust you to think of my best interests from here on out regarding Mlle Rossi? As an employer and as a father you failed me, and I have the marks to prove it.”

They stared at each other for a long moment, tension thick between them. 

After what felt like an eternity, Gabriel looked away. He picked up the document and tore it into pieces. “I will support your decision, no matter the consequences.”

The words, startling as they were, barely warmed Adrien’s cool fury. He gave a small nod and returned to his meal. 

Knowing he wouldn’t believe a word of it until he saw it in action.

~~~~~

Chat Noir leaned on one of the railings of the Eiffel Tower, the cool night air rushing through his blonde mane. His green eyes were closed as he just enjoyed the quiet that was only achievable at this height. 

Plagg had been more than willing to transform after the awkward dinner with Gabriel. The kwami had expressed his pride in his kitten and had told his Chosen that the look on the man's face when Adrien had verbally shot down his nonsense had been perfect.

Whatever that meant, considering Gabriel's expression hadn't changed to Adrien.

The black-clad hero smiled out over Paris, opening his eyes to take in the sight of the street lamp glow. 

His beloved Paris. 

As he looked over the city, his green eyes searched for a familiar red-clad heroine. 

Since she had become the Guardian, the two of them agreed that while patrols were necessary, she was too stressed to come more than once a week. 

They had decided this after he found her collapsed on a rooftop, pale and her usually vibrant blue eyes dulled. She had confided in him, without letting too much slip, that she was incredibly bogged down in her civilian life. She always made it to akumas and other emergencies that required the assistance of the superhero duo (like runaway buses), but patrol she had given full reign to him.

And to be honest, Chat relished in and was touched by her trust. So happy that his Lady was willing to help him shoulder the burden she carried, even if it was just in this regard. 

Today was their agreed upon day. Every week it was different to accommodate their civilian lives, and that was fine for the cat-themed superhero.

As long as he got to see Ladybug and bask in her presence outside of akumas, he was happy with that.

She may not love him in the way he wished and he was seeing someone else outside of the mask, but they were still friends, still partners. And if that's all she could give, he was satisfied.

A familiar zing brought his attention back to the present as Ladybug landed beside him.

"Good evening, My Lady," Chat greeted with a warm smile.

She smiled broadly at him in return, her blue eyes shimmering as happiness radiated from her. 

Could he dare to hope that _he_ had brought her that happiness? Even just a small piece of it? His heart clenched painfully in his chest.

"Hi, Chaton. How are you?" She asked coming to stand beside him.

Chat took a deep breath, letting it out slowly and looking out across the city again. "That's a pretty loaded question, Bug. It's been… it's been an interesting week."

Ladybug nodded and leaned on the railing, looking out beside him. "I get that."

There was a brief silence between the two heroes, not uncomfortable, just there. As if Ladybug was waiting for him to elaborate.

Eventually, he did.

"I made a report with the Board of Governors regarding Lila Rossi."

The ravenette turned to look at him and blinked, a sign to continue.

He gripped the railing hard, the metal complaining under his claws. "Remember Marinette Dupain-Cheng? The one who helped us with the Evillistrator?" Another nod. "I found her walking around after the akuma last Saturday and she invited me into her home for a snack."

Ladybug lifted an eyebrow. "The baker's daughter is feeding strays?" She asked, her tone joking.

The blonde bumped shoulders with her. "Well, anyone would be drawn by the offer of pain au chocolat and her beautiful smile." He smiled at the memory before his face darkened. (He missed the pink blush that dusted the heroine’s face.) "She…Revealed to me that she was being bullied by Rossi and had been threatened by her." He ducked his head, the weight of his words pressing down on him. "I couldn't stand by and let that continue. I know we've talked about Rossi before, Bug, and I'm sorry I didn't discuss this with you first before putting in that report but…" he trailed off for a moment, his eyes stinging. "She has been hurting my friend."

A red-clad hand rested over his hand on the railing, gently. “She’s lucky to have such a good friend.” Ladybug whispered. 

Chat looked up at the superheroine. 

“I’m glad Marinette has you to help her. I’m sure she needed it and greatly appreciated your help and friendship.” She swallowed thickly. “And, regarding Rossi, I’m sorry I didn’t discuss my interview before with you, as well. The opportunity was there and… and that lie needed to be put down.” She squeezed his hand lightly. “I meant what I said, by the way. You are my best friend in the mask. And when I first heard of her telling people she was friends with me, I spoke with her in the park. Adrien Agreste witnessed our… confrontation. And… I could have handled that situation better. But, here we are. Hopefully, your report helps the situation at Francoise Dupont.”

The blonde stood straighter and turned to face her, the hand not holding hers brushing a loose lock of hair from her face. “Me too. We’ll need to keep a closer watch on her and her class. I’ve heard that it’s really tense in that classroom and she’s already attacked a student. Plagg is concerned that she may go butterfly hunting.”

Ladybug frowned. “Butterfly hunting?”  
  


“Plagg expressed concern because of her frequency in being akumatized is suspicious. While the Ladyblogger and M. Ramier have both been akumatized as many or more times, Rossi has been involved and hampered our ability to fully address and resolve akumatizations. Like during her first time as Volpina, as Chameleon, and during Oni-Chan. She is also incredibly aware during and after her akumatizations, which is something we haven’t seen in other akuma victims.”

The heroine nodded slowly. “That has been a concern of mine. But do you really think she is chasing butterflies?”

Chat shrugged. “I don’t have enough evidence either way. But it wouldn’t hurt to keep a closer eye on her, like what we try to do with M. Ramier.”

Ladybug nodded again, more confident than before. “We can do that. I already have Marinette there and she can help us.”

“About that.” The blonde cut her off, his voice immediately going harsh, almost a growl, and his gaze turned fierce. “Why didn’t you tell me you were sending a _civilian_ to expose her?”

Ladybug blinked at him, pulling her hand away from his and turning to face him fully. Multiple expressions warred on the girl’s face, making it hard for Chat to decipher what she was thinking. After a moment, she spoke. “It… It never really came up. And if it had, I forgot to mention that plan. I’m sorry. I never intended to keep it from you, Chat.”

The cat superhero ran a hand aggressively through his yellow mane. “I could have helped her sooner. I have… I have a source in that school who would have gladly helped her more if they had known, if I had known.” He let out a sad sigh, a hiccup coming at the end as his shoulders slumped. “Ladybug… you weren’t there. You didn’t _see_ how much stress she is under. How much she has been hurt. She’s falling apart and… and my help has been too late.”

“No.” The ravenette stated, her voice firm as she lifted his chin so she could look him in the eye. “No, I wasn’t there in her moment of weakness. But _you_ were, Chat Noir. _You_ saw her brokenness. _You_ saw her desperate need for help, and _y_ _ou_ helped her when not many did. _You_ did what I couldn’t. Don't think it has gotten past my notice that you cataclysmed a butterfly out of mid-air for Marinette, Chat. That was... that was amazing and I'm proud of you. And you _care_ so much about this civilian, I can see it. And I’m so _happy_ that she has you, Chaton." 

Chat swallowed thickly, the rage quelled, soothed by her words and gentle ego-stroking. "Can…Can I at least talk to her before we decide if we should send her back into this fight? She's already done so much and deserves some kind of peace."

The blue eyes were shimmering and her smile was tight like she was holding back tears. "Of course."

He nodded, a small smile pulling at his lips. "Thank you, Ladybug." He turned to look back at Paris. "Well, shall we?"

With a nod, the two young heroes leaped out into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clarification:  
> She doesn't have the Miraculous. It just an editing technique I used during the office scene where Lila is served the restraining order.
> 
> In two previous drafts, Lila either attacked someone or ran/destroyed property. But neither of those ones worked for me, so I gave Mme. Rossi insight to see that her daughter was going to go off the rails (essentially giving her access to Second Chance with out the Miraculous) and she was able to put a stop to Lila's rage before it got out of hand.
> 
> The Second Chance user from two chapters back
> 
> it was Mme. Rossi. 
> 
> "You will dig yourself into a deep hole if you keep running your mouth."
> 
> And boy did she ever in the first two drafts.


	17. What the Board Decides

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Françoise Dupont gets a visitor.
> 
> M. Damocles receives an order.
> 
> And Marinette talks to a professional.

_Friday, 06:30_

Sandra Beaufort was a diminutive woman, short and thin, with short graying black curly hair, and terra-cotta brown skin that was slightly leathered by the years that weighed on her. A Parisian by birth, the aged woman had poured years of her life into helping the children of Paris receive the best education they could, starting as a teacher and working her way up to the Board of Governors.

But today, her dark brows were furrowed into a severe frown as she ascended the steps of Françoise Dupont. Juliana Cho flanked her and Sean Killian had arrived early to prepare for her arrival. 

She had read through the two investigators' initial reports and was horrified that protocol after protocol had been ignored so severely by the administration and staff regarding discipline, not once, but repeatedly. And what was worse was she could see a very dangerous pattern appearing.

There was no time to wait for the investigation to reach its conclusion.

These things need to be addressed immediately and with harsh correction.

For the sake of the students.

She opened the twin doors of Françoise Dupont with a strength not expected from her frail frame. But Mme. Beaufront was known to surprise people. Appearances are deceiving.

The courtyard of the school had been transformed into a pseudo assembly hall with chairs lined up facing a podium. The teachers and M. Damocles sat in those seats, looking towards Sean who stood by the podium. The blonde nodded in her direction as she walked towards him, her back straight, her steps deliberate.

She had worn heels for this very purpose. There was no other sound in the whole courtyard save for the click of her heels.

It punctuated the seriousness of this gathering.

Once at the podium, Sandra looked out over the assembly with her startling green eyes.

Françoise Dupont was a very small school and the number of teachers showcased that. While this was good for the students who had a teacher to student ratio that skewed in their favor, it also meant that things could get overlooked solely because there weren’t enough eyes out to look for them. 

But that was not an excuse they could use this time, since at least two of the staff had been complicit or at the very least incompetent. 

“Good morning.” Sandra began, a polite smile on her lips and her tone as polite as she could manage. After a chorus of returned greetings, she continued. “I appreciate all of you coming this early on a Friday to meet with me. As many of you are aware, Mme. Cho and M. Killian,” She gestured a brown-red hand towards the two investigators. “Have been here since Wednesday to inquire how several of you have handled student discipline and safety, both in regards to akuma prevention and otherwise. Please understand that the Board has been aware from the beginning that this school is a hotbed for akuma activity since Papillion’s appearance and an inquest would have occurred by the end of the year to see how everyone was fairing.”

She noticed that several of the teachers relaxed at her statement, and Sandra was happy to offer her teachers some relief. Because it was true, and she wouldn’t let her teachers go through this without any form of assistance. Whether or not they took it was their choice, but she would not let them do this alone. That’s why they had yearly training. That’s why they had counselors available. That’s why the Board had adjusted several policies to help reduce stress on each teacher and the students impacted.

But those avenues, for whatever reason, didn’t appear to be a priority here.

Sandra leaned on the podium, her black suit jacket sliding up her thin arms slightly as she wove her fingers together. "When the inquest began officially on Wednesday, my investigators quickly found four very concerning issues that require immediate discussion and correction. 

"Firstly, it was discovered that the methods the Board, with the assistance of the Société Française de Psychologie and the European Federation of Psychologists Association, had drafted as a means to help both students and teachers combat akumatization and stress management were not only not being utilized, but also actively avoided in favor of methods that, according to our top experts, aggravate rather than help. I will not say that the reason why this was done was out of any malicious intent or simple ignorance. All we know is from what we were told and what we’ve collected.”

She noticed one woman, a young redhead, bowed her head as she spoke. After a moment, Sandra recognized her as Caline Bustier, the teacher from that report. Today would be her last day and if she didn’t change in training… she may need to be let go. 

The safety of Paris’ children could not be risked by an adult who thought her way was superior when she had no claim to that field.

“Secondly, a worrying trend came to our attention while reviewing the reports. I have been aware of four high profile students in attendance here at Françoise Dupont, three of them are new as of this year. Of these four students, two have been involved in multiple incidents that have resulted in either causing akumatization, suspension, expulsion, or some combination of the three. Three of those students have been akumatized. And one of them has been sexually harassed by another.”

That last statement caused everyone but two teachers to freeze. M. D'Argencourt and Mme. Mendeveiev sat up a bit straighter, knowing that they had attempted to intervene in that particular situation and were brushed off. Mme. Bustier seemed to shrink as if trying to disappear.

“I will address the sexual harassment in a moment, but first I wish to reiterate that our schools are _not_ to be the grounds on which the rich and affluent get to trample their classmates. For too long has one of those four students done this by summoning their parents and threatening teachers and other students with backlash, leading to the suspension I mentioned before. That is not how our system works and it never has. Yes, the Mayor is influential and can order investigations, but he does not hold the purse. That is done through Parliament, the Budget Ministry, and the Ministry of Education. You answer to them, not just to the Mayor.” She looked at each of them in the eyes as she said that, wanting them to understand. 

“All students are equal here and none of them hold power over you unless you give it to them. That is not our goal. Our goal is to give the tools our students need so they can advance, succeed, and thrive in the world when they leave us. Allowing one student privilege because of how affluent their family is is discriminatory, and does nothing to help those students grow.” Her voice softened a bit as she spoke, wanting to be heard and not to have her audience feel attacked. This wasn’t supposed to be an attack. This was to be a learning session. 

M. Damocles’ shoulders noticeably slouched, and Mme. Bustier had practically vanished from her seat.

“And thirdly, regarding sexual harassment.” Sandra’s voice was firm and strong. This they needed to hear. “The Board of Governors strongly condemns sexual harassment, whether it be student on student, teacher on student, student on teacher, or teacher on teacher. It is unacceptable and not conducive to learning. It undermines the very foundation on which we stand. What happened on our grounds yesterday was not fitting of Collége Françoise Dupont. According to the student and a few of you who reported to us, this had been going on for months and was not addressed by the teacher, the headmaster, or even the parent. All of you have attended our mandatory education on sexual harassment, abuse, and assault every summer. You all have the tools needed to help the victim and correct the aggressor. None of that happened until yesterday when Child Welfare had to step in.”

She took a deep breath. “It has been brought to my attention that Child Welfare has consulted the police to request further investigation here. I support their request and have opened our doors to the police. I am strongly encouraging all of you to cooperate with their investigation. There will be heat for this, but our students deserve a safe place to learn and you deserve a safe place to work.”

After a long moment, she spoke again. "And lastly, this school has failed to implement and use the Shared Concern method regarding bullying and harassment."

You could hear a pin drop. Even M. D'Argencourt and Mme. Mendeleiev froze.

"I have the attendance records that confirm that all of you have been physically present at the mandatory summer sessions we have had since 2015. You'll recall that year was when the Board approved the implementation of the Shared Concern method after the tragic death of a student at another school due to bullying. You have all heard the statistics stating that, while bullying numbers are highest in école, collége and lycèe have the most severe cases." Her green eyes gazed out over the frozen staff. M. Damocles looked about ready to faint.

"The primary reason for this inquest was due to dozens of reports connected with bullying and how the staff has handled it, the most severe one occurring in what you have collectively called the Akuma Class. A single student has been made the example to her classmates at the instruction of one of you, at the cost of her emotional, mental, and physical health."

Sandra swallowed thickly. "When I read the report my investigators gave me regarding that student in conjunction with the complaint her parents made to the board, I got physically sick. One of the students in your care has been bullied to the point of near akumatization _over a dozen times_." She paused to punctuate the point. "How she fought them off, I don't know, but on Monday she almost failed. By some miracle, Chat Noir happened to be following that butterfly and destroyed it before it could touch her. I would have hated to find out what kind of monster Papillion would have turned her into after the utterly despicable treatment she has received at the hands of those who her parents entrusted her to."

M. Damocles and Mme. Bustier covered their faces, Caline's shoulders visibly shaking. M. D'Argencourt and Mme. Mendeleiev were both looking down at their hands. M. Tomas, the art teacher, looked so sad Sandra thought she saw a tear escape his eye. The other teachers present also looked upset to varying degrees.

"But this is the time for action and change. I've consulted the teacher's union and the Board has come to the decision that some of you will require immediate training, others will receive the training during the summer as usual with supplementation by the Ambassadors for Change and Parent-Teacher Association, and other actions may be required later." She took a deep breath. "The Board will be keeping a closer eye on how things are done here at Françoise Dupont going forward. This school, and no other school, should be known for its rate of akumatizations."

After a long moment of looking over the staff, she opened the floor for questions. There were only a few and Sandra was pleased to see that her speech seemed to have hit home for all of them.

Once the meeting finished, Sandra turned to the headmaster. "M. Damocles, I need to speak with you in private, immediately." The graying man blinked but nodded, his shoulders still slumped. The diminutive woman then turned towards Caline. "Mme. Bustier, I would like to speak with you as well once I am done with meeting with him."

The redhead nodded, her frame screaming dejection.

Sandra turned back to M. Damocles and followed him to his office.

~~~~~

M. Damocles stood by his desk, not really sure where to sit - or if he should - as Mme. Beaufort sat in front of his desk. She looked up at him and gave him a slight smile, gesturing towards his usual chair behind the desk.

After a moment's hesitation, he sat as directed. 

Mme. Beaufort folded her hands in her lap and took a breath. "Before I begin, I want to let you know that I'm pleased with how you responded as headmaster when it came to the sexual harassment case that was brought to your door this week. Mme. Cho and M. Killian were both impressed by your swift response and taking the steps necessary to protect your student."

Damocles nodded his thanks, not letting the praise go to his head. He knew what was coming.

"That being said," the woman continued. "You must also understand that the Board is very displeased with your actions as headmaster. You have allowed one female student to dictate punishment while also withholding punishment for her actions. You did not adequately investigate charges against another student before expelling her in front of her peers which lead to a mass akumatization. You knowingly allowed Mme. Bustier to continue using methods in her classroom, methods you were aware of not being board approved and lead to the detriment of her students. And all of this will require further review of your time as headmaster. These are problems the Board cannot stand by, M. Damocles. You understand that right?"

"Yes," he replied, his voice cracking before he cleared his throat.

"After consulting with the union, it was agreed that you will be allowed to willingly resign from your post as headmaster. Your pension will still be available to you and all other portions of your employment contract will be honored. However, you will no longer be able to work as an educator or in the administration of any school after that."

M. Damocles swallowed thickly but nodded. They were being generous. "Thank you. That is very kind of the Board."

Mme. Beaufort nodded. "This will, however, not protect you from any investigation by the police or the Board's review of your time as headmaster. As I said out there, everyone will be looked into. We cannot risk anything, especially once word gets out about the sexual harassment charge against a student.”

The greying man nodded slowly.

The woman continued. “We will give you until Wednesday to submit your resignation. Your successor will arrive after that to adjust to the school until your 14 days notice is completed. Please contact me or your union representative if you have any issues in submitting the resignation or regarding your successor."

He nodded as she stood and he followed suit. "Thank you, Mme. Beaufort. For what it's worth, I wish I had done better."

Mme. Beaufort nodded her head regally. "Me too."

~~~~~

_08:00_

Caline Bustier looked out over her students as the first bell rang. Two seats remained empty, the one belonging to Adrien Agreste - which she had expected since she had a note from his father’s company stating his absence,- and the other belonging to Lila Rossi - which she hadn’t expected. 

Any other day, she would have assumed her student was running tardy. 

But after yesterday…

She was wondering if the girl had been expelled.

Caline hadn’t received any notification of suspension or expulsion as of 16:00 yesterday, but anything was possible. 

Pushing that thought from her mind, she stood to greet her students. “Good Morning, class.” Her smile was small. “Today, we are starting class off a bit differently. We have some visitors.”

As if on cue, a knock came at the door.

Her students looked at each other and she could hear whispers as she made her way to the door, opening it to reveal Mme. Sandra Beaufort and M. Sean Killian. The Board Chair smiled slightly in greeting and walked to stand in front of Caline’s desk, while the Board representative stood closer to the door.

“Good morning, students.” Sandra began, smiling in the face of their confused glances. “My name is Sandra Beaufort and I am from the Board of Governors.”

At that, Caline noticed five different reactions. Alya sat bolt straight in her chair as if struck by lightning. Marinette curled in on herself, her arms drawing tightly around her as if to keep her warm. Chloe froze, blue eyes widening at the woman that stood before her. Max blinked, but otherwise didn’t react, and the rest of the students looked at each other with confusion.

The Board Chair continued. “It has come to my attention that this class has suffered the most of any class in my district when it comes to akumas. Most of you have been akumatized more than once, correct?”

A few affirmatives were voiced and most of the students nodded.

Sandra looked at all of them with compassion. “I want all of you to know that being akumatized does not make you monsters or bad people. Emotions are a normal part of us, and forcing ourselves to keep them in check because some crazy man in a purple suit who wants some very powerful jewelry is what is abnormal.”

That got a chuckle from everyone in the room, even Marinette.

“But I also want to let you know that the Board is taking some measures to help you all. My investigators,” She gestured to Sean. “M. Killian and Mme. Cho, who could not join us, have looked into how things have been done in this class since Papillion first appeared. And we are going to be making some changes.”

Everyone blinked and some students turned to each other with questioning looks. 

“Starting next week, your class will receive group therapy sessions to help all of you with communication, problem-solving, or just to have some relaxation time to talk to each other. Due to the akumatization rate, your class has been assigned a counselor, Dr. Sol Martín, to lead those sessions and to help all of you work through this. All of your parents have been notified of this change. Today, that counselor will be present and available to any of you who would like to speak with her for a one on one session. She is held by privacy laws to not share what the two of you talk about in any session with anyone unless there is discussion of you hurting yourself or someone else. I hope that you will take this opportunity to help yourselves heal from the trauma this class has experienced, and please know that all of you deserve to have a safe place to learn and grow.”

The woman’s words were like honey, and Caline watched as Marinette melted, the girl covering her face with her hands.

Sandra noticed this as well and walked over to the ravenette. She leaned down beside the girl, though she didn’t need to bend much with her short stature. “Mlle. Dupain-Cheng?” She asked softly, her expression compassionate. 

The girl’s only response was a shuddering sob.

Sandra turned to Sean and nodded. The blonde man approached and carefully guided the sobbing girl out of the room.

The board chair returned to the front of the classroom, eyes trailing after Marinette before turning back to the students. “And the other change that will occur next week is that Mme. Bustier will no longer be your teacher.”

The response was explosive. 

“What!”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Why!?”

“Did something happen?”

Sandra raised a hand in a quiet plea for quiet. It took only a moment before the students understood and did as requested. With a nod of thanks, she continued. “During their investigation, M. Killian and Mme. Cho discovered some inconsistencies in her teaching. She will be attending some training starting next week to help her in those areas. Once she meets our satisfaction in those areas, she will return to teaching.”

Max raised his hand and spoke when called upon. “How long would that training take?”

“Several weeks, likely into the Summer break.”

The class seemed to deflate. Because they all knew what that meant. 

They would be in lycèe before she would return.

“This is why I am here. Due to the unique situation of this class, I wanted to personally give you a fair warning of the upcoming changes. Your new teacher will be here on Monday and he will work in conjunction with Dr. Martín to help guide you through the rest of the term.” Sandra smiled. “This will also allow all of you to properly say goodbye to Mme. Bustier.”

~~~~~

(08:00) _Alya: Girl. Are you coming to school today?_

(08:10) _Alya: today is Mme. Bustier's last day. 😟_

(08:15) _Alya: it would be good if you could say goodbye to her._

(08:17) _Alya: I'm still worried about you. Please call or message me when you can._

~~~~~

_09:50_

Marinette sat in a fairly comfy armchair with a tissue box in her hand. The blonde gentleman - M. Killian was his name, right? - had brought her to a room near to M. Damocles’ office after she had started crying. 

Mme. Beaufort’s words on how all of the students deserved a safe place had hit her hard and left her vulnerable. She was grateful she could escape the gazes of her classmates.

Across from her sat Dr. Sol Martín, an older woman with sun-kissed skin, warm brown eyes, and deep brown curly hair cut to curl around her heart-shaped face. A gentle smile was on her lips as she looked at the teen. 

For the last hour and a half, the two had discussed whatever Mari had felt comfortable discussing… and that primarily revolved around how stressed and hypervigilant she was around her classmates, how Lila had threatened to turn them all against her, and how she was nearing her breaking point. 

"I just… I just want it all to stop. Even for just a few minutes so I can catch my breath." The ravenette sobbed, pulling another tissue from the box and blowing her nose. 

Dr. Martín nodded and waited for her to finish before speaking. "Marinette, it was very brave of you to come forward with this, not just for your class' sake, but also for yourself." She said kindly. "And talking to your parents and the Board were excellent steps for you to take. May I offer you a third step, a way out of this?"

The blue-eyed girl blinked but nodded.

Dr. Martín leaned a little bit forward. "The environment you are in is toxic. You have lacked assistance from the teachers and staff, suffered emotional, psychological, and physical bullying, and - regardless of how your teacher is in the wrong for this - told you that you need to be the example of how your classmates should be better. My suggestion is, if your parents will agree, to have you transferred to another class. If it wasn't so close to the end of the term, I might have recommended changing schools. But you do have people who care about you here, Marinette, and we'll make sure you are safe."

Marinette's eyes widened as if it had never crossed her mind as an option. She had been with many of these classmates since école and while she knew people from the other classes, she never considered that transferring would be safe for her.

She recalled how safe she felt sitting with Kagami and her classmates from Mme. Mendeleiev's class, even though Mme. Bustier's class was sitting in the same lunchroom. They had distracted her, made her feel welcomed and appreciated. Her opinions and fears mattered among them.

But what about the akumas? Without being in the "akuma class" she wouldn't be as fast to respond as Ladybug. What if-

There was a gentle pressure on her chest. She looked down subtly to see Tikki looking at her from the inner pocket of her jacket. Her cerulean blue eyes looking up at her Chosen, encouraging and happy. 

The ravenette looked up at the counselor and smiled. "That… that would be wonderful."

Dr. Martín's smile widened. "Fantastic! If you can get ahold of your parents and if they can come in, we can go to M. Damocles and request an immediate transfer."

Marinette nodded eagerly and pulled out her phone, her fingers shaking as she dialed her man's number.

Soon. Soon she would be safe 

She couldn't stop the warmth of hope blossoming in her chest.

"Maman, do you think you and Papa could come up to the school?..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY, WE GET TO TALK ABOUT THE ANTI-BULLYING METHOD USED IN FRANCE!
> 
> In 2015, after the tragic death of a student as a result of bullying and campaigning by her mother and many parents for a change in the policy of how bullying was handled, The School Board chose the Shared Concern method (SCm) as the technique to be used in all schools in France. SCm was developed by a Swiss Psychologist, Anatol Pakis. 
> 
> The method takes a non-acussatory stance and works to promote empathy and support. 
> 
> Once a teacher/staff member notices bullying, they meet one on one with the suspected bully (note if physical/sexual harassment is witnessed or reported, different methods and consequences come into play). In the meeting the Teacher expresses concern for the victim/target to the suspected bully. Statements similar to "Marinette has been under a lot of stress", etc are used to encourage the bully to empathize with their suspected target. 
> 
> The suspected bully is then asked if there is anything they can do that could help the victim (examples: speaking to them positively, complements, helping them if they drop something, etc) and then they are asked to do that thing. 
> 
> The teacher and student will meet multiple times until the bullying stops.
> 
> Meanwhile the teacher/staff will meet with he victim and offer support, encouragement, and offer to get other assistance as needed (counseling being an example).
> 
> This method does have a few downsides: it is a LONG process and is really ineffective against cyberbullying.
> 
> A supplemental program used by the school districts is called Ambassadors For Change. These are students, mostly Lycèe age, who go to schools and talk to students, mostly école and collége age kids, to give presentations on bullying, what it is and how it harms (generals and age appropriate examples are used). They will also spend the day with he class and if they notice anyone being bullied they will offer them support and encouragement to talk to an adult.
> 
> When both of these tools are used properly and in conjunction with each other, French Schools have been able to reduce bullying on school campuses with amazing efficiency. 
> 
> And this, this right here, is why I have a bone to pick with Caline Bustier. She is a French schools teacher working after 2015. The creators should have done their research on this. But instead she is incompetent at best and actively encourages bullying at worst.


	18. Recruitment and Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien makes plans.
> 
> Chloé reaches out to Max and Kim.
> 
> And Juliana makes a startling discovery
> 
> ***** Both Notes are important. Please read. Thanks! *****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before getting into this chapter, I would like to apologize for some comments I made in the notes of Chapters 8 and 9. 
> 
> In chapter 8, I had offered some speculation about Lila that ultimately culminated in me stating that Lila could have Antisocial Personality Disorder. Operative word being could. I had based this off of information/criteria found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders vol 5 (DSM-V) which is used by people in the mental health field (primarily doctors) to diagnose and offer proper treatments for mental illness. 
> 
> To note: I am not a doctor, nor do I have the training to diagnose such life-changing conditions. I am familiar with the medical and psychological fields due to education and experience, but I am not an expert.
> 
> My statements were meant neither to excuse Lila's behavior nor an attempt to portray all people with ASPD/APD in one mold (namely as psychopaths). 
> 
> While Lila's behavior is inexcusable as she knows what she is doing (based on her actions in the show and in my story), throwing around life-altering diagnoses in an attempt to categorize someone helps no one in the short term or long term.
> 
> Frankly, while analysis of Lila is "cool" when it comes down to it she is a fictional character and an antagonist who has refused redemption several times in canon. I, as a writer, am merely taking that an running with it.
> 
> And in my haste and bare-boned speculation, I could have caused harm.
> 
> And for that I am sorry.
> 
> I have removed my analysis of Lila and will police through my own comments to make any edits needed.
> 
> To anyone who lives with a life-altering diagnosis (physical or psychological) please know you are not alone and that improper and generalized representations of your diagnosis in media are unjust. As one among you (with both a physical and psychological condition) and with loved ones in your ranks, I stand with you. 
> 
> To anyone who is hesitating in getting tested for any type of condition, please know that the decision rests in your hands and is yours to make. For me, having my conditions diagnosed helped me tremendously and my support system has never been better. I know that isn't always the case, but having a name to the conditions you are battling/learning to live with can be freeing. And also know that the first result on Google for that condition usually doesn't take into consideration the real and human struggles associated with it. The world likes to box people in and stereotypes exist. Some good, and some awful.
> 
> Just because you have a diagnosis doesn't mean you are aren't a unique and complex person who has dignity and deserves respect and love.
> 
> I'm sending all of you hugs through the screen. ❤️❤️❤️
> 
> Sincerely,  
> Rachel

_Friday 10:00_

So far, the walkthrough for the fashion show had gone off without a hitch. Everyone was working like a well-oiled machine; lights were adjusted as needed to showcase each like, dressers and models were grouped off appropriately, outfit changes were seamless between catwalk walks, and all the clothing to that point had fit everyone perfectly. 

Adrien was in his element. He had lived and breathed fashion and fashion shows since he was little and relished in it. Sure it was demanding work and being constantly poked and prodded was never comfortable, the camera flashes could get obnoxious, but the reward of showing off whatever clothing lines _Garbiel_ , and on the rare occasion his own friends, had created was worth it all. He thrived in this environment.

Tomorrow would be the real deal, of course. But the rehearsal allowed him a chance to evaluate his plan to talk to Jagged Stone and form contingencies if his initial idea didn’t pan out.

He figured the best time to meet with the Rock Star would be during the lunch break intermission. Both the VIPs and the models would be free to mingle and it would be the perfect time to strike up a conversation. He had talked to Luka about speaking with the high profile celebrities Lila had claimed connections with, and the blue-haired guitarist had agreed that it would be smart to start with Jagged Stone. Jagged had a wide fan base and social media presence. And happened to be close friends with other celebrities Lila had woven into her stories.

Luka had also suggested that collecting photographic evidence would be a good idea too. If Jagged was present, his pet alligator would likely be with him, and if Adrien could get a picture of the three of them together, it would punctuate the evidence.

Chloé had been able to make it to the phone conference and had expressed interest in recruiting two other students. She had noticed that Max and Kim were researching something pretty intently, and the heiress had a hunch that they were looking into Lila’s lies. The three of them had agreed that it would be a good idea to at least see what the two of them were doing and if it was helpful to their cause to recruit them.

Kagami had later agreed via text.

While Chloé and Adrien would work on the evidence side, Kagami and Luka had volunteered to keep Marinette away from prying eyes outside of class and Chloé would remain on guard in the class. 

At that moment, Adrien had regretted transferring classes.

But what was done was done. 

_Maybe we can get Marinette transferred as well. The amount of stress she is under is probably affecting her grades._

Walking over to his change room, the blonde model was happy for a break, if only to check his phone and see if any of the Protection Squad had messaged him.

_Chloé: Adrien, Mme. Beaufort from the Board is here! And they are stepping in to make some changes in our class. Group counseling, a new teacher, and a review of our academic progress._

_Chloé: Marinette lost it when Mme. Beaufort mentioned “safe space”. Someone escorted her out. I have no idea where she is._

_Chloé: I hope she’s okay. I’ll update you when I know more. Luka and Kagami haven’t seen her and she’s not answering her phone._

Adrien’s blood ran cold, and his eyes flicked towards his ring. It would be so easy to -

A soft knock at the door aborted that thought. 

“Adrien?” a voice called from the other side. 

"Yes?"

"We are all set to run through the 'Evolve' collection."

The blonde sighed. "I'll be out in a minute."

"Thank you." The voice replied. 

Adrien snagged a clothing bag with her right label and headed to the door, leaving the phone in the dressing room.

Hoping Marinette would make contact before he got back.

~~~~~

_10:30_

Sabine Cheng was all too happy to rush over to Françoise Dupont when her daughter had called and had only been more pleased when she met Dr. Martín. Not only had the tanned skinned woman listened and empathize with Marinette, but she also presented a solution that the older ravenette had considered but hadn't quite known how to address with her daughter. 

She knew Marinette loved her classmates, even if they had turned on her when the new Italian student had arrived. It was in her nature to love and forgive.

Though for her daughter's sake, Sabine hoped she didn't forgive too easily this time or forget. 

To her surprise, M. Damocles didn't offer any objections to the class change. He simply asked if Marinette had a homeroom in mind if she wished to have any classes with her current classmates (Sabine had let out a hard "no" to echo the shake of her daughter's head and the less intense no from Dr. Martín) and directed the secretary to draft a new schedule for the young ravenette.

The man looked so sullen that Sabine almost felt sorry for him.

Almost.

As they stepped out of office, a woman with deep brown-red skin greeted them.

"Hello, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng," the older woman smiled. "Are you feeling better?".

Marinette stopped and smiled slightly in return. "Yes," her voice was weak but gained strength after she cleared her throat. "Yes, I am, Mme. Beaufort. Thank you for your help this morning."

"My pleasure. Anything to help a student in my district." Mme. Beaufort replied warmly, before nodding in greeting to Dr. Martín and turning her warm eyes on Sabine. She held out a hand between them "I'm Sandra Beaufort from the Board of Governors. Are you Mme. Cheng?"

Sabine smiled. "Yes. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mme. Beaufort." She took the offered hand and gave it a warm shake. "I take it the board has been investigating our reports?"

The terra-cotta woman nodded deliberately as they pulled their hands apart. "Yes, and they required my immediate presence and correction. I also wanted to thank both of you for coming forward and apologize for not intervening sooner."

The two ravenettes blinked but didn't speak.

"The board has been receiving reports and complaints regarding Françoise Dupont for months before your complaint and chose to delay action due to the frequency of akuma attacks. In hindsight, this was a costly decision, for you and other students in your position." She took a deliberate breath and locked her green eyes on Sabine's grey ones. "All the children in my schools are under my care. I think of them as my own. And I failed your daughter, Mme. Cheng. My delay contributed to her near akumatization this week. I can only thank Chat Noir, where ever he is, for catching that butterfly in the nick of time. I hope you can forgive my error and the Board's error in judgment and that we can earn back your trust."

Sabine felt a coldness that had settled in her chest thaw slightly at Mme. Beaufort's genuine apology and her smile warmed. "I accept your apology, Mme. Beaufort, and appreciate you and your investigators stepping in, even with the delay. Any measure that can be taken to ensure my daughter and others like her are safe in school is worth the time and effort."

Mme. Beaufort nodded again. "Very true." Then the green eyes landed on Marinette. "And to you, Marinette, I'd like to apologize as well. My delay helped foster the environment you were struggling in, and for that, I have no excuses. I hope that what changes I've set up for your class and Françoise Dupont will help remove that burden from you."

Marinette stood up straighter. "It already has!" She looked over to Dr. Martín with a smile before returning her gaze to the Board Chair. "After talking with Dr. Martín and at her recommendation, I will be transferring to another class effective after lunch. So," she said with a bright smile. "You are already helping me. And I accept your apology as well."

The four women smiled at each other for a long moment before the bell rang.

"I won't keep you much longer. Have a great day, Mme. Cheng, Mlle Dupain-Cheng, Dr. Martín." And with that, the diminutive woman turned on her heel and walked away.

~~~~~

Group chat

_Kagami: I have eyes on Marinette._

_Luka: oh thank God. Please tell her to text me._

_Chloé: where the heck is she?_

_Kagami: done._

_Kagami: she's been transferred to my class, effective immediately._

_Adrien: Really?!_

_Chloé: considering Mme. Beaufort's little talk this morning, it makes perfect sense for her to be transferred. Almost as much as having you transfer, Adrien._

_Kagami: I have to agree with Bourgeois on that._

_Luka: same here._

_Adrien: glad we are all on the same page. Any sign of Lila?_

_Chloé: none. Everyone is antsy, especially Cesaire._

_Chloé: I think this afternoon would be a good time to talk to Kanté and Lê Chiên._

_Adrien: do it. With Mari out of dodge things may go smoother._

_Chloé: alright. I'll let you all know how it goes._

_Kagami: good luck._

~~~~~

_14:00_

Juliana Cho sat in her own office, in her familiar chair, reviewing more footage from Françoise Dupont per Mme. Beaufort's request. Specifically footage from before and after a student in Mme. Bustier's class was akumatized.

This was to see what the staff's response was to each akuma and how they responded if they were witness to the akumatization.

Most of them weren't on camera, as a lot of them happened either in areas with no cameras, like in the case of Mlles Mylene Harpéle and Juleka Couffaine, or off of school grounds. All of the ones to this point were fairly straightforward. The butterfly appeared, akumatized an object, the butterfly outline appears, and black bubbles cover the student.

But this one. 

This one was different.

If she hadn't been looking on a specific day and following Mlle. Lila Rossi thought out the film no one would have noticed.

There, hovering in the hallway next to Mme. Bustier's classroom, was a purple-lined black butterfly. Almost innocently fluttering, it's graceful wings deceptively hiding just how powerful it truly was.

Into frame walked Lila… and she looked in its direction, her back to the camera, her shoulders relax, stance open. This was not a girl brimming with furry or distress. If there was anger, it was simmering, patient.

She raised a hand… And beckoned the creature. 

Juliana paused the footage, went back several seconds, and played it again.

And again.

And again.

Lila Rossi had _willingly_ allowed herself to be akumatized. And not like other akuma victims, on whom the dark butterfly had descended rapidly and without mercy, who were coerced after the butterfly landed. No, she beckoned it to her, like an old friend, as it _waited_ for her arrival.

Juliana's stomach twisted and her hand shook as she dialed Sandra's number. It rang twice. "Boss. We may have a bigger problem on our hands… this is something that would be better if I showed you in person. Are you at the home office?... Could we use yours? … Great. I'll meet you there."

~~~~~

_15:00_

Max Kante blinked up in surprise when Chloé Bourgeois stopped him on the way out of physics. The blonde heiress had tapped his shoulder not occupied by Markov and had _patiently_ waited for him to turn around.

That in itself was curious. Chloé wasn’t known for her patience. 

“I need to talk to you,” She whispered, her blue eyes flicking back and forth as other students passed them. “You have study hall next period?”

The bespeckled boy blinked again. “Yes. What - “

“Great. Can you meet me in the library in the historical section? I need to find Le Chien.”

“I’m going to be meeting up with him there already if you want to tag along.” _What does she need to talk to Kim about?_ The super genius studied his classmate. 

While one could never be sure with the heiress, she didn’t look like she was going to start any trouble… but he had missed the signs of her lack of affection for his athletic friend back during the Dark Cupid Valentine’s day.

_What could she possibly want from Kim and I?_ _  
  
_

Wait…

And then it dawned on him.

Chloé was one of the few people who hadn’t quite fallen for Lila’s lies… had she? Had she noticed their research?

Cautious, but willing to hear the blonde out, the two walked towards the library. Markov had sent a message to Kim for Max letting him know to meet them at the historical section of the library and that Chloé was coming as well. With the mixed-blood between the two, it was only fair to let his friend know.

The Vietnamese teen was waiting for them, his face carefully neutral as he took in his old crush. The blonde only nodded in greeting (a curious lack of any biting comment making both boys blink) and the three sat at the secluded table.

After a long moment, the heiress spoke.

“I’m guessing that Ladybug’s interview woke you both up to the web our Italian classmate has weaved?”

_So I was right._ Max thought, his eyes narrowing, a touch suspicious. Kim looked unsure when the two boys’ eyes met, and he swallowed thickly. 

“Yes,” The taller teen replied. 

The heiress’ shoulders sagged a bit in… relief? Max couldn’t be sure with the expressions warring on her face. “Good. The fog is lifting.”

The two boys looked again at each other in confusion. “What?”

“Have you been looking into her lies?” Chloé asked, with a slight tilt of her head.

_Is it that obvious?_ Max thought as he nodded in reply.

“Have you found anything?” 

Another nod.

“I have a proposal for both of you, then.” The heiress put her elbows on the table, folded her hands, and rested her chin on them. Her blue eyes looked carefully into Kim’s and then into Max’s before she spoke again. “Adrien and I are planning to expose her to the class and we would like to work with you to do that. Our plan is simple and flexible, as several things have already happened without our intervention, like Ladybug coming forward and Lila’s… attack of Adrien yesterday.”

Kim was the one to blink in surprise. “She _attacked_ him?”

Chloé shifted uncomfortably. “More like she assaulted him. She is now under order to stay away from him, hence why Sunshine never returned to class after lunch.”

Now it was Max and Kim’s turn to be uncomfortable as they looked at each other, then back to the blonde. “What do you need from us?”

“Only your cooperation and the data you’ve collected. Both will be happily used to help clear the film that has clung to our classmates’ eyes regarding her.” Chloé looked at a spot on the table then back up at them. “I’m sure you also realized that this means that Marinette was right?”

Kim visibly shrunk at the mention of the pigtailed classmate and Max fought to keep himself from spiraling into self-loathing. Both of their treatment of Marinette, one of the classmates they had had since ecole and a sweet friend who had never stared them wrong, had been horrible and unjust. 

“Do you think, if we prove Lila isn’t who she says she is, that she’ll at least be willing to hear our apologies?” Max asked, unsure. Statistically, it was likely Marinette would, but factoring in human responses and error skewed that number.

“Well, if she accepted Sunshine’s and he was probably the least innocuous of all of us, then she might.”

Now, that got Max’s attention. “Wait… Adrien was also bullying her?”

The heiress tilted her head to the side and her lips twitched as if fighting a laugh. “No. But he was oblivious to her pain and let things continue when he may have been able to get Lila off of her back sooner.”

_Ah. That is more in character with Adrien._ The genius thought before turning to look at Kim. 

The athlete met his gaze and the two nodded.

“Alright, we’re in.”

~~~~~

_15:30_

After reviewing the footage multiple times, both Juliana and Sandra had concluded that neither of them was misinterpreting what they saw.

Lila Rossi was beckoning, placing the butterfly on an object in her possession, and willingly accepting the akuma during her akumatization as Chameleon. 

Sandra picked up the phone and dialed 112. After a moment an operator answered.

_“112 Do you need police, fire, or ambulance?”_

“Police, please.”

~~~~~

_15:40_

  
Lieutenant Roger Raincomprix received the call for police assistance at the Board of Governors' office and had received the report regarding the request. As one of the top officers, it made sense for him to answer this particular call.

But, he pondered as he adjusted his hat and walked towards the doors, he honestly wished he had a way of contacting Chat Noir and Ladybug about this.

While akumas were primarily the two heroes' jurisdiction, with the hunt for Papillion entering its second year, the two heroes had asked for the police's assistance in helping investigate and locate the supervillain. The logic had been simple, the two heroes didn't have the resources that the police had access to and the police didn't have access to the powers the heroes did.

Roger knew that was a sticking point for several of his officers, but considering how many times Ladybug had saved their hides and restored the city, not many were willing to complain.

As he entered the building, he was met by a young, dark-haired woman who escorted him to a large office. In it, Sandra Beaufort waited. After a brief introduction, the older woman turned to the screen before her and gestured for Roger to approach. 

"We were doing a review of some footage from one of our schools, primarily taking not of our staff's response to akumas, when Mme. Cho came across this footage." Mme. Beaufort began before hitting a key.

The police officer recognized the place in the footage as Françoise Dupont, second-level, fairly close to a staircase, though he wasn't sure which one it was. His green eyes watched as a brunette female came into frame.

But something else caught his eye.

And he understood.

He pulled out his notebook and began jotting down small notes as the footage continued. 

Maybe this could be a lead they needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm not as happy with this chapter as I would like to be. I feel it is a bit rushed, as I have reached the point where I am writing the chapter to be posted the day before I post it, and I don't like that. 
> 
> I'm trying to cram so much into two more chapters...and that's just not going to happen. It is possible that this story could end up being up to 25 chapters, which would give me more time to spread things out a bit.
> 
> Due to just wanting to give myself more time to write, I'm going to NOT be posting a chapter on Sunday. Just one day. I need that time to get more organized and hopefully give you all better quality chapters.
> 
> I hope you all understand.


	19. Let's Get Down to Business

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We find out where Lila and her mother have been.
> 
> Max and Kim share their evidence.
> 
> And Lieutenant Raincomprix knows when to call for another set of eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your kind messages and being so supportive of my changing my updating schedule.
> 
> From now on, updates will likely be every other day to help me not burn out.
> 
> You all are awesome.

_(15:45) Rose: I have the list for you. These are all of Prince Ali’s current charities_

_(15:45) Rose: charities.xlsx_

_(15: 46) Rose: And here are his former charities._

_(15:46) Rose: oldcharities.xlsx_

_(15:50) Max: Thank you so much. This will be invaluable to our project._

_(15:55) Rose: You’re most welcome. (✿◠‿◠)_

_(Unsent) Rose: I'm so confused. Ali said he’s never heard of Lila. He’s never lied to me before. Could Lila have lied? Did I hear her wrong?_

~~~~~~

_16:00_

Mme. Rossi sat in one of the chairs in the apartment's living room, sinking a bit into the comfortable plush, but not allowing herself to get too comfortable.

On the couch beside her, Lila slept. 

At least, her mother thought she was sleeping. The rise and fall of her chest looked like genuine sleep and her face was relaxed enough to assume sleep. There was even a bit a drool on the girl’s chin. 

But after the insanity of the last almost 30 hours, Mme. Rossi found herself constantly cautious and distrustful of her daughter. And what parent wouldn’t be at least a little concerned. Lila had, under her mother’s nose, spun several webs of misdirecting and lies to garner… something at school. She wasn’t entirely sure why her daughter had done it, and the experts she had asked to evaluate her daughter weren’t able to give her an answer either.

First, she had gotten an emergency appointment with Lila’s local pediatrician first thing in the morning. The woman had done a physical examination with Mme. Rossi presents and had asked several questions without her present (per patient privacy laws due to Lila’s age). After that and some standard blood work, Lila had been given a clean bill of health. Nothing of physical or emergent concern had been found, no injuries, no illness, nothing.

And what surprised the older Italian was that Lila was _completely cooperative_ with the doctor. Whereas the girl had refused to say anything in regards to school or her classmates with both the doctor and her mother, she was willing to be examined and answered all questions appropriately. 

After getting an emergency appointment with a highly recommended psychologist, Mme. Rossi then took her daughter to be psychologically evaluated. The older woman was concerned that her daughter’s behavior when she injured Adrien was a symptom of some kind of psychological issue, or stress, or something. And just having it confirmed or denied would help the older woman sleep better.

The psychologist evaluated Lila thoroughly before speaking to Mme. Rossi to ask why she brought her daughter in. The doctor hadn’t blinked twice at the news about the restraining order, but it had surprised the older woman that Lila had volunteered the information in her session.

The psychologist had told her that, since this was his first session with the girl, he couldn’t say for sure if her daughter had some signs of any major or minor mental illness, but he could say that she didn’t appear to be a risk to herself or others. He recommended that he see her again in a week for further evaluation and both Italian women agreed.

Of course, part of Mme. Rossi wondered if the girl had lied to the psychologist to hide anything, but this particular doctor had come highly recommended and had years of experience in the field. The ambassador decided to trust the professional’s recommendation and thus was able to rest a little easier.

But there was one more thing she would need to do before the day was done.

Reaching into her jacket, she pulled out the two phones she had in her possession. One was hers, the other was her daughters. After looking at the girl’s phone for a moment longer, she put it back into her pocket and opened her phone. She dialed the number for Francoise Dupont that she had saved in her contacts. 

It rang twice before she received an answer. 

“Good afternoon, you’ve reached College Francoise Dupont. This is Teresa, how may I help you?” A female voice answered.

“Good day, Mme. Teresa. This is Mme. Rossi. I’m calling about my daughter, Lila’s unexpected absence today. We had a few emergency doctor’s appointments today. I will be sending the doctor notes in with her on Monday.”

“Oh thank you for informing us, Mme. Rossi. I hope she is alright.”

“She is, but it didn’t hurt to just make sure.”

“That’s great. I’ve updated her attendance record for you. And we will expect the doctor’s notes in the morning on Monday.”

“I’ll be sure they are delivered. Thank you for your help, Teresa. Have a great weekend.”

“You as well, Mme. Rossi.”

With a click, the call ended.

After a long moment, the brunette took a deep breath and dialed an all too familiar number.

It rang thrice before a machine picked up requesting an extension, which she dialed without hesitation.

After two more rings, a male voice answered in perfect Italian. “Internal Affairs, this is Roberto speaking. How may I help you today?”

“Caio, Roberto. This is Ambassador Rossi. I need to request an audit of records.”

“Of course, Signora Ambassador.” The man’s voice tightened for just a moment, but he immediately became more professional. “What records need to be reviewed?”

“Mine.” She said, her voice tightening as she stared at her sleeping daughter. She stood and walked to the other side of the room, not wanting to wake her daughter with her call. “All of them; travel, finances, the works.”

The man paused and she thought she heard him swallow hard. “Is there anything we should be looking in particular for?”

“Any kind of fraud or irregularities.”

“Is criminal activity suspected?”

“At this moment, none. But I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

“Of course, Signora Ambassador. I’ve put in the request. Do you have time to answer some questions?”  
  


“I’ve got nothing but time. I’m available for as long as you need me for.”

~~~~~

(16:30) _Alya: Hey girl. Would you like me to send you the homework from today?_

(16:40) _Alya: Where the hell are you, Lila?!_

(16:50) _Alya: You know what, I’m seriously ready to call the police and put a missing person’s report out on you. But, apparently, the school received notice of your absence...so I guess I’ll wait until Monday._

(17:00) _Alya: Please… Just tell me you are okay._

~~~~~

_17:00_

Convincing his mom of the last-minute school project meeting wasn’t hard, and it wasn’t difficult to convince Kim’s mom too, which Max had expected.

But believing that _Chloé Bourgeois_ wanted to meet with them to discuss their Lila research was still something he was trying to process. 

Chloé wasn’t known for liking Lila Rossi or Marinette Dupain-Cheng, but she had explicitly expressed that the reason she wanted to expose Lila was for Marinette’s sake. That in of itself was a hard pill to swallow: that the girl that had been openly antagonistic towards someone he had considered a friend or an acquaintance for years was more willing and ready to help that same friend before her so-called friends were.

The blow to his pride was harsh. 

But now was the time to fix that. While he and Kim had been slow to reach this point, they could still help. 

Now, the three of them sat in one of the conference rooms of _Le Grand Paris_ , awaiting three others, to put their research to use.

Luka Couffine was not who Max was expecting to arrive. The blue-haired guitarist nodded to Kim and Max in greeting before giving a tentative smile to Chloé and greeting her before sitting down on her side of the table. It was obvious from the glances he gave to Kim in particular that the older male wasn’t too sure about the two newest members of their group, especially after how they treated his _girlfriend_.

Hearing that had doused any kind of lingering doubts that Marinette was targeting Lila in any way. While Max and Kim had both been aboard the ship named Adrienette, if their friend (if they were allowed to call her that now) had moved on… then the jealousy that Alya, in particular, had convinced them was Mari’s reason for hating Lila was invalid and ridiculous.

When Chloé's phone rang, she turned on the TV and transferred the call to its screen. Kagami Tsurugi appeared, her serious brown eyes boring into them from the screen as she was able to see them through some camera. After greetings were made, Chloé turned on her tablet just as another call came through. A second adjustment and Adrien Agreste appeared beside _his girlfriend_ on the big screen. 

The number of revelations today was getting unbearably uncomfortable for the young genius. But he sat up straighter and pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind for further analysis when he would be able to process them.

"Adrien, I know you are short on time, but I wanted you to at least be in the call for as long as you can. When you need to go, just let us know and either I or Luka can fill you in later. Or Kagami if she's able to stay with us until the end of our meeting."

" _Unlikely,_ " the Japan-born teen interjected. " _As Mother will call me for supper at 18:00 promptly, school project or no. But thank you for considering me, Bourgeois._ " 

The heiress simply nodded in reply before continuing, turning to look at Max and Kim. "Kanté, Lê Chiên, meet the rest of Team Expose Rossi. Since you have seen the light, and have been doing research of your own, we would like to formally add you to our numbers."

" _All we ask of you,_ " Adrien added his tone and face serious. " _Is honesty, cooperation,_ " His eyes suddenly turned acidy. " _And to leave Marinette Dupain-Cheng alone._ "

Four other voices concurred while Max desperately tried to keep his brain from short-circuiting. Another thing to add to the list of things to process later. 

Kim shuddered beside him and both voiced their agreement to the terms. 

"Excellent," Chloé stated, her tone chuffed. Turning on another screen, which listed several items that Max recognized. "Then we can begin. Kanté, this is our list of Rossi's many offenses, most of which are simply lies from her mouth, others her actions. We have divvied up research on each of these claims, but I am particularly interested in what information you have found."

Max nodded and opened his bag, releasing Markov. The small flying robot cheerfully greeted each of the members of the group and was cheerfully greeted in return. Kagami, who had known of Markov but had not been introduced, was pleasantly surprised to be greeted in Japanese and addressed as Tsurugi-san. 

In a rare display of sweetness, the teen corrected him, stating he could call her Kagami or Kagami-san if he insisted on using honorifics. Markov had cheerfully added the change to his memory banks.

"I downloaded our research to Markov's data banks and we can use his projector to display it." After a collective agreement, the tiny robot did as directed. After a moment of adjustment, the chart of information appeared clearly on the wall. "So far, I have been able to get credible evidence for at least three of her most well-known lies.”

Markov zoomed in on a column listing the known charities of Prince Ali. 

“Thanks to Rose, I was able to obtain all of Prince Ali’s current and former charities. As you can see from the list, all of them are related to Children's Health, Wellness, and Hospitals. After contacting him personally, Rose was told that he had no other charities than the ones here. This officially eliminates Lila’s supposed Pollution Charity, at least insofar as the Prince of Achu working with her on it.

“After doing many internet searches and phone calls, we also came up with no such pollution charity that had Lila or anyone like her on their volunteer or founder lists.”

“One lie dead,” Luka commented, his blue-green eyes looking over his hands at the projection with rapt attention. 

Kim nodded, and Markov shifted to another portion of the document. This included symptoms and treatments for tinnitus and arthritis. “I was able to consult two medical professionals in regards to both of these conditions. According to both, neither of these conditions express the symptoms Lila suggested they did. Tinnitus is currently incurable, even with the use of the Miraculous Cure - unless it is caused by an akuma, such as when Jagged Stone was akumatized. It is caused primarily by damaged blood vessels rather than by a damaged eardrum. It can be a symptom of some rather nasty medical conditions, like a tumor or a clogged blood vessel that could become a stroke later down the line. Current treatments include sound therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, and transcranial magnetic stimulation, all of which are long term therapies. Surgeries can happen, but these are in very severe cases. If Lila did have tinnitus, her reason for sitting to the front of the class wouldn’t be just about not being able to hear - which would be nearly constant - but because ascending the stairs could risk the vessels due to increased heart rate. It is very rare for children and teens to have tinnitus and when they do, it is connected to severe medical conditions or trauma. She claims she got this by saving a kitten on a runway, which has its own issues.”

Everyone stared in rapt attention at Kim, impressed by his presentation. The athlete took this as a sign to continue.

“Regarding her supposed arthritis, it is not as uncommon as once believed for children to have arthritis. However juvenile arthritis would not be isolated to a single joint. The whole body would be affected. Lila would have swelling and stiffness that would come and go as the disease flared, and it would be more systematic than just to her wrist - unless she injured her wrist years ago.

“And, in addition to these two medical conditions, she also claims to have damaged her knee when she was supposedly pushed down the stairs by Marinette.” Everyone’s faces darkened at him, and he knew he better explain quickly. “I’ve been a frequent visitor to Mme. Blanchet’s office, and I can personally attest that she is not incompetent. Had Lila had an injury more serious than a scratch, she would have provided ice, a wrap, and would have personally called Mme. Rossi, regardless of what Lila wanted. Also, based on her walking, she shows no favor or difficulty being on that leg consistent with an injury. She has worn no brace, has not had any other supportive equipment like crutches. Even if it was a mild sprain, a brace would have been given to her by her doctor. By this, we can conclude that the injury is a fallacy.”

“And the doctors you consulted are reliable?” Luka asked, his expression a touch speculative.

“Well, they are my parents...so I assume they wouldn’t lie to me about these conditions in conjunction with looking into their medical texts.”

Everyone nodded that this was acceptable.

Max cleared his throat and Markov adjusted the view on the virtual document to another second highlighting an image of a foxtail necklace. “This is the necklace that Lila claimed was a family heirloom.”

“ _May I add to that, Max?_ ” Adrien interrupted.

The genius nodded.

“ _On the day my father was akumatized, she showed me that necklace and claimed to be a descendant of a family of fox themed superheroes._ ” 

“Wait… you mean she was claiming to have a _Miraculous_!” Luka was practically fuming. 

The model nodded, looking rather uncomfortable. _“And her claim may have held water if Ladybug hadn’t bunked her claim and Rena Rogue hadn’t appeared - who she surprisingly hasn’t claimed to be.”_ _  
_

“Ladybug?”

“Yeah.” The blonde rubbed the back of his neck. _“That day, Ladybug happened to be passing by and heard Lila talking. She swung by and… the two got into an argument right in front of me.”_

Everyone but Chloé blinked.

“Trust me. I told him off when he told me this earlier this week.” The heiress fluttered her fingers in Max’s direction. “Continue.”

“Well, about the necklace, considering that Ladybug retrieves all miraculous from the temporary holders, there is no way it is miraculous. Instead,” Markov adjusted the image, showing a very familiar logo in the corner of the picture. “It is from _Gabriel’s_. And the line it’s from only became available within the past year.”

Everyone nodded. 

“I’m convinced,” Chloé smirked. “Anything else?”

Max adjusted his glasses. “We’ve been researching her other claims, but are limited to only the web.”  
  


“Good thing we have people with connections.” Chloé turned to look at Kagami. “Tsurugi, have you heard back from your connections?” 

The dark-eyed girl nodded, serious. _“So far, every manga artist that I have connections with has responded with a negative in knowing Rossi, either by name or description. They have also asked their partners and some rivals, and all of them have come back with a negative.”_

Chloé smiled darkly. “Can you send me the receipts?”

Kagami returned the look. _“Already in your email.”_

“Fabulous.” The heiress chuckled, before becoming softly serious and looking at Luka. “How is Marinette doing?”

Luka looked over at Max and Kim before turning back. “She’s… alright. She is doing very well in her new classes and it should be a little easier to keep her away from… them.” 

“New classes?!” Max and Kim exclaimed. 

The guitarist nodded, looking at them over his joined hands. “Yes, effective today, Marinette was transferred to another class. Mme. Bustier’s class has become too toxic for her to effectively learn in.”

Max’s head spun. Another new revelation.

“Mme. Bustier is no longer our teacher,” Kim said plainly.

Adrien blinked. _“What?”_

“We had a visitor from the Board of Governors today,” the athlete continued. “She came to inform us of some changes that will be happening in our class.”

“Group therapy as well as a counselor specifically assigned to our class,” Max continued. “To attempt to lower our class’ akumatization rate. And Mme. Bustier is being sent for training. She’ll likely be gone until next term.”

Everyone blinked at that. 

_“Wow…_ ” Adrien whispered. 

Max nodded and the room was silent for a moment.

Kagami piped up. _“Will this affect how we plan on how we take this liar out?”_

Chloé pressed a button, changing her presentation. “I’m glad you brought that up, Tsurugi. Because I have adjusted our plan accordingly...”

~~~~~

Roger Raincomprix knew when he was in over his head.

The video evidence of a student at Françoise Dupont not only actively akumatizing herself and manufacturing a situation that lead to a Scarlet Papillon attack? That was absolutely over his pay grade. 

Fortunately, Papillon had been declared a terrorist and a menace to public safety, and as such, all evidence relating to him or potential accomplices could be forwarded to a specially formed counter terrorism unit that worked in conjunction with Ladybug and Chat Noir.

Which is exactly what Lieutenant Raincomprix did. Hoping that this would lead them one step closer to Papillon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there is a particular reason why I had Lila be cooperative with being examined physically and especially psychologically. By being medically cleared, she won't have anything baring her from returning to school on Monday.
> 
> But a side effect is that now her medical records state she is competent and not a danger to herself or anyone else. With this known, any action she takes from here on out is of her own will. 
> 
> It's risky. But as we've seen, she can barely feign a physical injury/condition correctly. Feigning a psychological condition comes with heavier implications and the unfortunate use of stereotypes. I doubt she'd be able to lie her way through that. 
> 
> And I will mention this here: after deeper research, I've concluded that Lila probably doesn't have a psychological condition, regardless of her meeting certain criteria. She doesn't meet some of the very traumatic criteria of ASPD or even Narssasistic Personality Disorder, even if she displays some symptoms. (Note: This does not mean that every case of ASPD, NPD, or any other mental illness is related to trauma. Just that in a lot of studied cases - 73% according to one study with fairly decent sample size, and others out there.)
> 
> Rather, Lila is a Manipulator and a master at that. Manipulators can have a mental illness, but it is not mutually exclusive. But her actions and most importantly her intent is Evil (the utter destruction of someone who didn't fall in line). 
> 
> Mental illness does not equate Evil intent or action. Evil is evil. Illness is an illness. They do not cross exclusively. Most serial killers and other horrible people were completely sane and did horrendous things, just like a majority of people with mental illness are just trying to cope with their condition and function in society. 
> 
> I hope that explains some things.


	20. Jagged's Response and Clara's Defence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the Gabriel Fashion show, Adrien talks to three big names that Lila has name-dropped. 
> 
> Social media gets lit up. 
> 
> Trigger warning: A few moments of cyberbullying  
> Language warning: one f bomb, and a couple of other lesser curses.
> 
> Note: All of the social media accounts mentioned (except Alya's, Adrien's, and Marinette's) are of my own creation. Do NOT harass or seek out any of these accounts, if they exist. None of them are associated with my story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last pieces are falling into place.
> 
> And someone just wants to stir the frigging pot. :/

_Saturday_

Adrien rolled his shoulders and adjusted his cuffs as he prepared to mingle among models and VIP's alike. His father had, once again, decided to appear virtually via Nathalie's tablet, and, for once, the blonde couldn't find it in him to be disappointed. After revelations of this past week, he was honestly happy to spend time away from his father. 

Gabriel had been even more silent towards his son since Adrien's refusal to be silenced. The younger Agreste wasn't sure if this was meant to be a cold shoulder or that his father was giving him space, Adrien couldn't be sure. Weeks ago he would have just assumed his father was too busy or was letting him have some freedom.

But after learning about Lila, everything he thought he knew about his father changed. 

And he hoped, with time, that trust could be restored. 

Nathalie had also kept her distance, which Adrien was thankful for. He wasn't sure how involved in the dark-haired woman was in the deal with Lila, but since she had been resistant to resolving the sexual harassment, Adrien could infer that she knew and didn't attempt to change his father's mind about the Italian. Trust would need to be rebuilt between the two as well.

After they apologized of course.

"Kid," Plagg called from his tin of cheese on the dressing table. "You've been fiddling with that cuff for the last two minutes."

Adrien snapped back to reality and noticed that not only was Plagg right, but the cuff was now wrinkled because of his fiddling. He took a few seconds to smooth them out as much as possible before replying. "Thanks, Plagg. I got lost in thought."

"By your expression, it wasn't about the plan to help expose the vixen." The cat kwami floated up beside his Chosen. "Still thinking about your Dad?"

The teen nodded.

The kwami sighed and rested on Adrien's shoulder. "Listen, kid. Frankly, your dad is a dick. Ever since I first saw the man, I disliked him. And everything you said in your little speeches to him after finding out he had the vixen tailing you were completely valid and correct. He hasn’t treated you like a son. He’s been pushing you away and personally, I think he is either too deep in his grief over your mom or he’s hiding something. Maybe both. But that’s pure speculation.”

Adrien stiffened at that. “Hiding something?”

The kwami placed a hand on his Chosen’s cheek. “My speculation, Adrien. The only evidence for which is that he pushes you away from having a deeper relationship with you and he’s always locked away in his office. Oh and that time that he got akumatized when the… book of his inspiration went missing.”

The boy took a deep breath. “You’d tell me if you ever found out if he was hiding something, right?”

Plagg nuzzled his Chosen with a purr. “I won’t hide that from you.”

The model scratched the cat kwami behind his ears and smiled. After a moment, the kwami floated away. “Now, go expose the vixen. I’ll be waiting here when you get back.”

When Adrien left, Plagg shoved a piece of camembert in his mouth, but only tasted ash.

~~~~~

Mingling was easy for Adrien. Just smile, converse for a few moments, and move on to the next person. With his easy-going smile and politeness, he never seemed to leave someone hanging or rudely moving on, and no one was rude or impatient with him either.

It was a nice change of pace from things at school and home, even if the model knew that a majority of things were fake. 

Socialites, politicians, and liars were all cut from the same cloth.

And Adrien hated acting like one of them. 

Especially now.

“Adrien!” A male voice called as the teen finished drinking a cup of juice. The teen turned to see Steven Besielberg approaching him.

The teen did a double-take, wondering if he was seeing things. Had Ladybug given him more luck? Adrien quickly put on a bright smile and greeted the man. “M. Besielberg! What a pleasant surprise! I didn’t know you were in France.”

The bespeckled, salt and pepper haired man greeted Adrien warmly with a broad smile and his usual American style handshake. His dark eyes warm. “I’m technically on vacation with the kids and grandkids, but when I received the invitation to come to your father’s fashion show, I couldn’t say no.” He winked. “I’ll be back with the tikes before they realize I’m gone.”

Adrien gave a hearty laugh. “Are they doing well?”

“Absolutely. And getting away from America is a bonus right now. Hopefully, we will return relaxed and ready to knock out another project or three.” The man said casually. “Speaking of which, do you think you’ll have time to audition for another one of my projects in the coming months? I’m working on a musical this time and would love to hear your singing chops!”

The blonde rubbed the back of his neck, his smile faltering a bit. “I’m not the best singer, unfortunately. My mother always referred to my singing as the sounds of a yowling cat.”

The older man laughed at that deep and hearty. “Oh too bad. Maybe I can find you a speaking only role.”

Adrien gave a polite smile. “I appreciate the offer. I’ll have to run it by Nathalie and my father to see how busy my schedule will be. With lycee coming up, time will likely be precious.”

M. Besielberg nodded, rubbing his chin. “I’ll email her myself if you like. It’ll be easier for us all. Her email hasn’t changed, correct?”

The model shook his head. “I'll be sure to let her know to expect it.”

“Perfect! And how have you been?”

Adrien took the opening. “I’ve been doing well. Things have been a little hairy with exams coming up, but fortunately, this show has gone off without a hitch. I’ve also got some new classmates, and one of them says she’s worked with you before.”

The older man tilted his head slightly. “Oh?”

“Her name is Lila Rossi. She’s from Italy and her mom works at the embassy here. She’s told me and our class that she’s worked with you on a few projects and has been willing to introduce you and several American directors to our classmates.”

Clearly, this was not something M. Besielberg had expected. The man blinked and frowned slightly, his lips moving in what looked like he was saying “Rossi” over and over again. “Can you describe her to me? I’ve worked with so many actors, but I can’t recall that name.”

The model nodded and did as asked. 

The man pulled out his phone and began searching through it, his fingers typing out something and his eyes scanning as he scrolled. After a few moments, he looked back up at the teen. “She’s name dropping who she doesn’t know, kid. I hate to tell you that.”

Adrien feigned surprise. “Really? That’s awful! She encouraged a few of my friends to pull things from their portfolios and drop out of contests because she could help them.”

M. Besielberg put away his phone and shook his head sadly. “Even if the world I work in is based on who you know, your friends should have never taken her advice. Has she said anything else about me?”

The teen shook his head. “Nothing that I can think of.”

The man nodded, looking upset. “I’m sorry your friends took her advice. We need fresh blood in the industry and scraping work from your portfolio can really hinder those chances.” 

"I'll be happy to pass that along, sir."

The man smiled thinly. "Goodman." 

There was a silence between them, but only for a moment.

"Oh! Father wanted me to take pictures with guests for _Gabriel's_ social media accounts. Would you be opposed to taking a picture with me?"

The man's smile turned more genuine. "I guess I could use the free publicity." He joked.

Adrien laughed and pulled out his phone, setting it to the camera. The two men posed for the selfie and M. Beseilberg approved of the one to post. 

Steven Beseilberg held out a hand. “I have to go now, but I hope to hear back from you soon.”

Adrien shook the man’s hand. “Take care, M. Besielberg, and thank you.”

“Anytime.”

~~~~~

The hall was full of people, smells of good food, and the faint tang of perfume. Not an unpleasant environment to Jagged Stone, as he spent many hours at such events due to his status as a rock star. 

But he had to admit… It was pretty drab. 

When he and Penny had received the invitation to come to Gabriel’s fashion show, she had specifically told him that they couldn’t bring Fang. And now, the rock star definitely wished he could have.

Fang was a lot of fun.

Hanging out with other socialites who were mostly just lying through their teeth was absolutely not Rock-N-Roll.

He continued to hang out near the refreshment’s table until Penny Rolling waved him over. Jagged couldn’t help the smile that spread on his face at the sight of his agent (and if he was honest with himself, crush). Penny was the rock that kept him grounded when his work and the world around him spun out of control. He had always admired her ability to turn the craziest of circumstances and tame it into something manageable.

And L'Insaisissable had shown him exactly how much she had on her shoulders.

Ever since, Jagged had done everything possible to help Penny, even if it was to make sure she got a massage once a week or a nice night out without any responsibilities. It was nice to spoil his friend/agent/crush. After all, she did so much for him, and he constantly looked for other ways to do more for her.

“Jagged,” The purple pixie-haired woman greeted him with a smile, gesturing towards someone beside her. “Adrien was looking for you.”

The purple-haired rock star turned to face Adrien Agreste. The blonde teen was smiling brightly, if not looking a bit star-struck. “Sunshine!” He greeted enthusiastically. ”How are you doing?”

“I’m d-doing great, M. Stone,” Adrien replied, his tongue failing him for a moment, but he quickly regained himself. “How are you doing?”

Jagged waved his hand. “Jagged is just fine, kid.” The rock star corrected before answering. “I’m doing alright, just missing Fang.”

“Fang?”

The rock star beamed. “Yeah! Only the coolest, most rock-n-roll pet of all time.” He tilted his head slightly. “Wait… I thought you’ve met Fang, my crocodile. He was at Chef Cheng’s taste contest.”

Adrien blinked and thought for a moment before rubbing the back of his neck. “Shoot. I did see him there. Sorry, I must have forgotten.”

“No worries, kid.” Jagged smile softened. “I’ve had him since he was a baby and he’s been the best companion I could have asked for. Well…” He put an arm around Penny’s shoulders and pulled her to him. “Non-human companion. Penny is my best human companion!”

Penny flushed a deep red but hugged the man back.

“I’m sure he is. But,” The blonde still looked uncomfortable. “For some reason, I was under the impression that you had a cat…”

“A cat?” The musician asked, his voice drenched in surprise and disgust.

“Yeah.”

Jagged laughed. “No way I’d have one of those furballs. I got scratched by one of them years ago and have hated them since. Plus, Penny is allergic, so no cats. Where did you hear this?”

“Well…” Adrien began, his tone and face hesitant. “There’s this girl in my class, Lila Rossi, who told my whole class that she saved your pet cat from getting run over on an airstrip. She even has tinnitus as a result and you wrote a song about her.”

Jagged and Penny froze, both of them staring almost uncomprehendingly at the model. After a moment, Jagged spoke.

“Penny, do we know ‘Lila Rossi’?”

“That name isn’t ringing a bell, nor is this thing about saving a cat on a runway. And that would have ended in a lawsuit for child endangerment.” She clicked her ever-present stylus pen and pulled out her phone. “Adrien, how long has she been claiming this?”

Adrien looked shocked. “Since this last term, just after she joined our class.”

“Those are some pretty dangerous lies. I’m going to have to consult Jagged’s attorney on this. Would you be able to provide a statement if needed?”

The teen blinked. “Of course! I’d be happy to help where I can.”

~~~~~

_12:00_

Group chat: Team Expose Rossi

Adrien: _Next time any of you see Ladybug, thank her for the extra luck._

Chloé: _what is that supposed to mean?_

Luka: _is the plan going well?_

Max: _by your statement, I'd wager it's been going better than expected._

Kim: _I'd take you up on that bet if I wasn't so sure you'd win it._

Kagami: _what's happened, Adrien?_

Adrien: _check out my Instagram_

Chloé: _HOLY SHIT HE WAS RHERE TOO?_

Kim: _rhere_

Max: _rhere_

Kagami: _rhere_

Luka: _rhere_

Chloé: _I hate you all._

Chloé: _my question still stands, Agreste._

Adrien: _sorry I'm dying._

Adrien: _yes, he was here. And I got to ask him about Lila. He said he's never heard of her, but I don't know if he will make any kind of public statement or anything._

_Adrien: but with the picture as proof that I spoke with him, would that be enough, Max?_

Max: _it would at least raise doubts. How'd it go with the others?_

Adrien: _gotta go. Clara found me!_

~~~~~

Adrien barely had enough time to put his phone away before Clara Nightingale pulled him into a twirl and a hug. 

"Adrien Agreste, you oh how I have missed!" She sang. "And your performance before was marvelous."

The teen smiled shyly and returned the gesture. "Hi, Clara. I've missed you too. How are you?"

"Before I saw you, I was pretty blue," she held him out at arm's length. "But now you are here and I'm a different hue. How about you?"

"I'm doing alright."

"That's great to hear." She said, but her smile was fading and she didn't continue the rhyme. "Are you okay? Please be honest with me."

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck and stepped out of her arms. "I've had a pretty trying week. I um…" he lowered his voice so only she could hear. "I had to put a restraining order on someone you've worked with after she attacked me."

Her face immediately morphed into an expression of shock followed shortly by rage. "Mon Dieu… who? I'll be sure she never works in my industry again!"

Adrien hesitated for only a moment, genuinely surprised by her aggressive response. "Is...is that really necessary?"

"Absolutely," she said with conviction. "You are Paris' Sunshine Boy. If she hurt our Sunshine, clearly she cannot represent my image of positivity and goodness to one's neighbor. I will have no part in that, and I'm sure my rivals and partners will agree."

Said Sunshine Boy was stunned. He hadn't realized just how many people were in his corner, and that gave him the courage to answer. "Her name is Lila Rossi."

Clara placed a finger to her chin, thinking. "Lila Rossi?" 

Adrien suppressed a smile and nodded.

"What did she say she worked on me with?"

"She said something about a music video, specifically that she helped you with the dance, but couldn't herself participate because of her arthritis."

Clara's unusual frown was deep and concerned. "I always credit those who help me with my art… and I've never heard-" she cut herself off. "Wait! Isn't she the girl from that video on the Ladyblog? The one who claimed to be Ladybug's best friend?"

The model nodded.

"She used my name too!" The singer fumed. "Ugh does she not realize how much trouble I could get in if word got out that I didn't credit a teenager!" She pulled out her phone. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Adrien. I'm gonna have to make a phone call, but could we take a picture for Instagram before I go?"

"Of course!"

With Adrien's permission (and Nathalie's approval) Clara posted the picture of her with the teen to her social media. The two were smiling and flashing peace signs. Under the picture, the caption read.

Clara_Nightingale_official: Hanging out with @adrienagrestebrand at the #Gabrielfashionshow today has been a blast! It's always fun to hang out with people who helped you in the past. Thank you again to Adrien, @marinettedesigned, and friends for your help with my #ladybug and #chatnoir tribute!

~~~~~

_12:45_

_Musicfan3674: awesome! Hope you had a good time, Clara!_

_Adrifan90: w h o l e s o m e_

_PrettyinPink: please do another collaboration!_

_GamerZ5: @prettyinpink agreed! Her LB and CN tribute was AMAZING!_

_Velmasback99: correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Adrien cast to be Chat Noir in the original concept?_

_Adrifan90: @velmasback99 H A W T._

_GamerZ5: @velmasback99 I think your right. It was at the Ladybug auditions that she decided to change the concept idea. Didn't Ladybug & Chat Noir show up?_

_PrettyinPink: @GamerZ5 yeah! Wasn't Clara akumatized that day? 😭_

_Velmasback99: @prettyinpink shoot I forgot about that 😟_

_Islandheartgirl: @JaggedStone_Fang isn't @marinettedesign the designer that made those rock-n-roll sunglasses of yours?_

_Clara-Bug-ChT: @Clara_nightingale_official I checked out @marinettedesigned's website thanks to you and she has some really awesome design work! 👍 I'll be sure to commission her! Thanks for sharing her with us!_

_Alya.ladyblogger: @clara-bug-cht don't bother. She's too busy to even hang out with friends._

_Clara-Bug-ChT: @alya.ladyblogger I'm sorry…Who are you?_

_Alya.ladyblogger: @Clara-bug-cht a friend. Trust me, she's not worth it. She's unprofessional, rude, spiteful, and prone to jealousy._

_Clara-Bug-ChT: @alya.ladyblogger[Doubt](https://imgflip.com/i/48b072)_

_Alya.ladyblogger: @clara-bug-cht I'm one of her former friends. I've seen her dark side. You really shouldn't do business with her._

_Clara-Bug-ChT: @alya.ladyblogger do you have any proof of that, Ms. Ladyblogger?_

_YsoSerious: @clara-bug-cht someone's salty._

_Clara-Bug-ChT: @ysoserious she had that video up for months and literally didn't TRY to ask Ladybug about it? Seriously. Why should I trust her now?_

_Clara_Nightingale_official: @alya.ladyblogger @clara-bug-cht as someone who has worked multiple times with @marinettedesigned through commissions and casual conversations, I can personally attest to her professionalism and good heart. I will not stand for such vile and untrue statements against my friend. Ladyblogger, I'm going to ask you to voluntarily retract your statements. If you don't, I'm afraid I will need to delete them and block you._

~~~~~

_15:00_

Group: Team Expose Rossi

Kim: _Guys, I know this group is specifically for things about Lila... but Alya just got herself blocked by Clara Nightingale_

Max: _Seriously? Why?_

Kim: _capture.jpg_

Chloe: _Cesaire_ _decided to tell Clara off rather than just retract her statement? Seriously?_ _Why would she decide to dig herself a deeper hole? This is seriously ridiculous._

Chloe: _I get that she's friends with Lie-la, but she's known Marinette for longer. Even if only by a few months._

Kagami: _Should we be concerned about her when everything comes to light?_

Max: _Statistically, it would be prudent._

Kim: _Common sense agrees._

Luka: _Kagami, Adrien, have either of you been able to get ahold of Mari? I'm stuck at a gig out of town and can't get over there._

Kagami: _She just messaged me. We are going to go on a juice date. I'll keep her company._

Luka: _Thanks, Kagami._

~~~~~

_16:00_

Group: Team Expose Rossi

Kagami: _image.jpg_

Kagami: _I hate to leave her, but my mother has summoned me home_

Adrien: _Likes image_

Adrien: _If I wasn't still at this stupid event I'd see if I could hang out with her._

Chloe: _Likes image_

Chloe: _Pretty sure she wouldn't want to see me right now_

Max: _Or me_

Kim: _Tripple ditto._

Luka: _Are her parents home? I'm still hours away._

Kagami: _I'm dropping her off at home. Hopefully, her parents will be able to cheer her up a bit._

Kagami: _Her phone kept going off during our hang out._

Kagami: _And it wasn't just the Instagram notification tone, either._

~~~~~

Chloe: _Adrien, do you want me to kidnap you?_

_Message unread_

~~~~~

_20:00_

Chat Noir leaped from rooftop to rooftop, a sense of urgency, and worry filling his movements. Usually, the cat-themed superhero would be performing acrobatics and maybe let out an exclamation of joy as the wind ripped through his yellow mane.

But not tonight.

Tonight, he cursed how late his father's fashion show went. Tonight, he cursed the fact that he needed to stay the whole time. Tonight, he cursed not being set free sooner.

Because he had seen Alya's comments on Clara's post and had no doubt that Marinette had seen them, too.

And based on what Kagami had told Adrien about their juice date... his friend would need someone with her tonight. And Plagg had insisted on Chat Noir visiting her. A first to be sure, but Adrien wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

With one final leap, he landed a bit harder than he wanted to on Marinette's balcony. The dark-haired girl was not sitting on the lounge chair on the roof, nor were the lights on below, but the anxiety that twisted Chat's stomach didn't take those as good signs. He carefully knocked on the hatch that led below, his green eyes looking for any sign of his friend on the bed below the window.

There was no response.

"Marinette!" He called out, ready to rip the hatch off of its hinges if he didn't see her in the next thirty seconds.

Then he heard it.

Coming from below, a faint voice replied. "C-come in."

Chat wasted no time in pulling up the hatch, maybe a tad harder than he should have, and dropped down below, doing his best to keep his feet off of Marinette's bed. His night vision quickly allowed him to spot his friend, who was curled up next to a very large cat plush, her face buried in her knees.

_Oh. Oh no._

The teen hero reached out a tentative claw towards the girl and touched her smooth arm. "Mari?"

A shuddering sob echoed in the air between them, and Chat couldn't help but move. He sat beside her and pulled her into his lap, careful of his claws, and held her tightly as she cried. A sad purr echoed in his chest as he ran his fingers through her unbound hair, wishing for all the world to go back and change that post with Clara.

But it probably wouldn't have made much of a difference.

Alya had been on thin ice before, and Nino had even told him that his girlfriend was so worried about Lila that she was lashing out at people. That didn't make what she said right, but it did explain some things. 

A phone chime caught the hero's attention and he saw the screen of Mari's phone light up nearby. Curiosity warred with his desire to not let the girl go. 

Ultimately, Marinette made the choice for him. Reaching out of his arms, she snagged her phone and looked at it. She didn't hide the screen from him and he saw the message clear as day.

Alya: _and now my credibility is further ruined because of your "Image" with your high paying clients!_

Alya: _this is all your fucking fault, mari_

Alya: _ANSWER ME YOU BITCH!_

Chat snatched the phone out of his friend's hand and threw it as far and as hard as he could, not caring if it smashed to pieces. He was boiling with rage, almost as hot and angry as his hatred of Lila. He growled where the offensive device landed. How _dare_ she send Marinette such vile messages. How _dare_ she treat his friend this way!

"Chat," Marinette's soft and broken voice whispered, one of her hands resting near his bell. "Don't break my phone. I need it."

He was instantly contrite and silenced the growl. "I'm sorry, Princesse. I will replace it if it broke." His green eyes met her blue ones. I"just... These things she was saying... They're not true. I saw those comments on Mme. Nightingale's post. She's in this position because of her own doing. You did nothing wrong. You literally did nothing. Please Mari," a gloved hand cupped her cheek and brushed away the tears that marred her beautiful face. "Don't listen to her. Don't believe her. I know who you are, and the girl she described couldn't be farther from the truth. You are one of the kindest, most dedicated, big-hearted human beings I've ever met. Even for your faults, you don't have a drop of that vileness Alya claims you do. And I'll happily show that truth to the world."

Marinette buried her face in his chest and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Chat Noir."

His cheeks warmed as he hugged her back, the purr resuming but sounding much more relaxed as he leaned back into the huge cat plush. "You're welcome, Marinette. Do... Would it be okay if I stayed for a while?" 

She nodded against his suit and Chat shifted to make them both more comfortable, purring, and smoothing her hair until she fell asleep.

~~~~~

_21:00_

Adrien: _bro. Do you have Alya's mom's number?_

Nino: _yeah dude_

Nino: _Mme. Cesaire.vcf_

Adrien: _thanks, man. I owe you._

Nino: _np. What's up?_

Adrien: _have you seen Alya's posts?_

Nino: _oh._

Adrien: _yeah. Kagami was with Mari earlier and mentioned her phone going off a crazy number of times. And she doesn't think they were all just Instagram notifications._

Nino: _shit. Do you think she's texting crap to Mari?_

Adrien: _considering Mari's not answering her phone, I'm going to guess yes._

Nino: _I'm gonna call Alya. That's not okay_

Adrien: _I'm calling her mom. Let me know how it goes._

Nino: _will do._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> According to everything official I could find, Clara has not been in any of Lila's lies, but she's in almost every salt fic I've read, so I thought why not and added her.
> 
> Also, Cyberbullying is absolutely not okay. If you or someone you know is being bullied online, tell someone who can help or intervene; a parent, a friend, an adult, HR, a hotline, the police! You do not need to suffer in silence. <3 Be safe out there, friends.


	21. Marlena's Regret and Otis' Lament

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien makes a phone call.
> 
> The Cesaires deal with the aftermath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: there is a very vague allusion to depression and someone reaching the end of their rope. No characters hurt themselves or plan to. Please be advised and stay safe friends. ❤️

Adrien knew that if he went anywhere near the Cesaire apartment, he would likely not be able to control Plagg's (and his) desire to cataclysm Alya's face. 

But he knew that would disappoint Ladybug and Marinette. Ladybug had a soft spot for the journalist, even if she was really cautious about doing interviews with her. Mari and Alya were friends (ex-friends after this stunt) and she still cared about the auburn-haired girl's wellbeing (even if it wasn't mutual).

The cat-themed superhero stood on Marinette's balcony, smiling as he called the contact Nino had sent him. He was grateful Plagg had told him how to clone his cell to the baton as it made things more convenient at a time like this when Adrien needed to make a call, but Chat also had to keep an eye out for akumas.

The number rang twice before a female voice picked up. " _Hello?_ "

"Hi," Chat replied. "Is this Mme. Cesaire?"

_"Yes?"_

He let out a breath. "I'm so glad I could get a hold of you. I'm Adrien Agreste, one of Alya's classmates."

_"Oh! I thought your number looked familiar. Good evening, Adrien. How are you?"_

"Honestly, Mme. I could be a lot better. Could you do me a favor?"

_"I can do my best."_

"Can you get Alya to stop texting Marinette, please?"

There was a sound like rustling clothing on the other end followed by the sounds of someone climbing stairs. _"Is something wrong?"_

"Yes, Mme. Cesaire. She is sending Mari things like" he looked down at Mari's cracked phone in his hand. The smile vanished as more messages flooded her inbox. "'you worthless piece of trash', 'I hate you', 'it's your fault nothing has been going right. If you hadn't nearly gotten akumatized--'"

_"Oh my gosh! Are those real-time messages?"_

"Yes. A new one just came in, too."

_"I'm almost to her room. Thank you, Adrien."_ And she hung up before he could reply. 

Chat put away his baton and stared down at the other phone with a malicious glare. He wanted to destroy it. He wanted to watch it turn to dust in his hands.

But that wouldn't help. Mari still needed her phone. 

Then he had an idea. Taking his baton, he jumped off the railing and down into the alley below, knocking on the door that led to the back of the patisserie. He hoped Sabine or Tom was still awake.

Minutes later, a tired-looking Tom Dupain answered. He blinked at the hero, forcing himself to wake up. "Chat Noir? Is everything okay?"

"Sorry for coming over so late, Tom," He held up Mari's phone just as a new notification came through. "But things aren't fine for Mari. Can I come in?"

~~~~~

Marlena Cesaire was a well-tested woman. With years of experience in the kitchen, she knew how to take the heat, and with four daughters, she had learned to adapt and resolve conflicts with a clear head.

So when Adrien Agreste called her to ask her to stop her daughter from texting Marinette, she knew this was one conflict she wasn’t going to be able to tackle easily. 

Ever since Alya got her hands on a cellphone it had become her lifeline. Some nights Marlena or Otis had to confiscate it just to make sure Alya got some sleep. And the appearance of Ladybug and Chat Noir had not helped that matter.

But now, as she stood outside of her middle daughter’s room, she listened to the girl talking inside to try and get more information on what exactly was going on.

"...Nino. She deserved all of that. She’s the only common thread I can find from everything happ- No not Lila, Marinette! … Seriously? What is that supposed to mean? Of … Sure she’s done stuff for us but that doesn’t make her a good person. She’s been bullying Lil- Don’t interrupt me! No! Shut up! I’m not going to stop. Regardless of how many times she babysat the twins for us, or making things, or whatever else you claim is kindness from that bitch! … I haven’t slept all weekend, my filter is gone and I don't give a ... Stop defending her!”

Marlena could hear the spiraling in the conversation and chose to act with a firm knock on the door. 

“GO AWAY!” Alya shouted from the other side. 

Undeterred, the chef quietly opened the door. “Alya, it’s me.” Marlena’s voice was soothing and calm. “We need to talk.”

There was a moment of silence before the younger girl spoke again. “Fine. Nino, I got to go.” After another moment, Alya called. "You can come in, Manmam."

Marlena opened the door fully and locked eyes with her daughter. She could see the bags pulling on Alya’s eyes, tear marks trailing down her cheeks, and her general distressed appearance. The mother took this carefully into consideration as she walked towards her, sat on the bed, and held open her arms. 

Without hesitation, Alya dove into her mother’s arms and sobbed into her bosom. Marlena held her close and ran her fingers through her hair, gently smoothing out the tangles as she hummed a lullaby. She stealthily removes Alya’s phone from near the crying girl and slips it under her leg to retrieve later. 

Several minutes past before either of them spoke.

“What happened, Tigerlily?”

The girl let out a shuddering breath, pulling slightly out of her mother’s arms and rubbing the tears away. “Today has been just one massive stress day. I haven’t slept well since Thursday night because Lila has been missing. At first, I just thought it was because her mom might have taken her to take care of some things… but she’s not taking any of my messages. They are going through, but she’s not reading any of them. And all my calls go to voicemail. 

“And before that I was having problems because Ladybug decided now was the best time to come out and issue a correction to Lila calling her best friend, throwing a hammer on my journalist reputation in the process. Which just seemed so weird considering everything that has happened to Lila this past week with Adrien and Marinette.

“And don’t even get me started on that… on Marinette. She’s been acting all moody and stuff, dressing differently, running off when I want to talk to her. She even almost got herself akumatized in front of Mme. Bustier. It all just screams she wants attention. 

“Then Clara Nightingale _promotes_ Marinette on Instagram and I had to correct her because Marinette is not a good person. She’s a bully, a jealous, self-absorbed, busybody who is just ‘too busy’ to do anything or even attempt to make peace with Lila.”

That caught Marlena off guard. _When did Marinette go from being one of the sweetest people on earth to a monster? What happened?_

“And I just can’t function because no one believes me when I say it is _all Marinette’s FAULT!_ ” Alya punctuated the last few words with hard punches to her mattress. 

After a moment, the chef took her daughter’s hands in her own and rubbed the backs with her thumbs. “May I offer a change of perspective?”

The exhausted girl glared but nodded after a moment. 

“Firstly, I believe Ladybug was issuing her correction when you interviewed her, not necessarily calling Lila out or even you out. She said it herself that she should have come forward sooner, that she thought people would figure the lie out by themselves, and when no one did, she should have come forward then, not weeks later.”

Alya opened her mouth, but Marlena continued.

“I understand she is a superhero and can’t be expected to know everything and be able to do everything. She said it first, not me. I’m just offering it as a change of perspective. From this point of view, it’s not an attack on you, Lila, or even the blog. It’s an apology for staying silent for too long.”

The girl closed her mouth and nodded, her expression softening slightly.

“Next, Mme. Nightingale has every right to post what she wishes on social media. If she’s worked with Marinette in the past, enjoyed her work, thinks she’s a good person and wants to promote her, that’s her business. You aren’t going to change hearts and minds by coming into a conversation uninvited and in full attack dog mode. If Marinette is a bad person, she’ll eventually show her colors.”

Alya’s teeth clicked as she snapped her mouth shut, twisting her lips into a grimace. She wasn’t keen on this advice, but she did hear Marlena.

“Thirdly, regarding Lila. I’m guessing you’ve been up late looking for news reports or missing person reports issued by the police?” After a nod, Marlena continued. “I think it is time to put that to rest, if only just for tonight. Running yourself ragged when there is no word that she is not okay will only hurt you if she needs you later. It is entirely possible that with whatever happened at school her phone either is being held onto by her mom or turned off until the start of the week.”

Her daughter tilted her head to the side, considering.

Marlena took a deep breath before issuing her last point. “And regardless of if it is ‘All Marinette’s Fault’, your actions are still your own, Alya.” She picked up the girl’s phone and held it beside her, her body language and expression showing that she would not be giving the device back. “And cyberbullying a classmate is something you decided to do.”

Alya looked at her like a gaping fish. “W-what! No, Manmam! I was just…”

Marlena opened the phone and read the last few text messages, her face slowly becoming sadder and sadder. “Imagine if you sent ‘you worthless piece of trash’ to Lila. Or ‘I hate you, you bitch’ to Nora. Imagine if someone decided to blame Ella or Etta for their akumatization.”

Her daughter’s honey eyes widened before she looked away, a pink flush of shame coating her face. 

“Do these words change anyone’s mind or make it easier to talk with someone about a problem you have? Do they solve anything or just breed hurt?”

Alya curled in on herself and whispered her reply. “They hurt.”

The girl's mother opened Instagram on the phone and found her daughter's rant. She took a quick screenshot, messaged it to her phone, and then held it out to her daughter. "I strongly advise you to delete those messages on Instagram. I don't doubt that people have already screen captured them, but you should remove them regardless. Tomorrow we will discuss the next move."

Alya stared at her phone for a long moment before taking it. Her mother watched as she hit a few things and then placed it into her the woman's waiting hand. "And that next move is going to involve consequences." The teen said, a matter of factly, though with a large hint of frustration.

Marlena looked and saw the messages had been deleted and locked the phone before putting it in her pocket. “That’s right. The first one being that I’m going to be holding on to your phone for the next week.” Her daughter flinched at that but didn’t say anything. “You should go to sleep, Alya. In the morning, we’ll talk about other things that will need to be addressed. No computer or anything until then. If you get a message from Lila, I’ll let you know. Okay?”

The auburn-haired journalist only curled tighter in on herself and sobbed.

~~~~~

After checking that her daughter was asleep multiple times, Marlena headed to the living room where Otis waited. The bear of a man was twiddling his thumbs like right before Alya was born.

But that has been in joyful anticipation.

This was different and it showed in his body language. He was hunched, white-knuckled, and his mouth was in a tight line. He knew there could be hell to pay for what their daughter did. And they needed to plan their next move.

Marlena lowered herself to sit beside him, sinking into the plush for a moment before speaking. Pulling out the confiscated phone, she opened it and sighed. "According to her, she hasn't slept well since Thursday, maybe only getting a few hours of sleep for the last few days."

"That doesn't change the fact that she can still get in trouble for this," Otis replied, his voice tight.

"No. It doesn't." She went to the start of the texting thread and began screen capturing. "I've already said I'll be holding onto her phone for the next week."

"That's not enough. Honestly, this all started with her blog and that Italian classmate of hers. Maybe maybe it would be wise for her to take the summer off blogging. Either a temporary or permanent hiatus from it. Maybe even get away from Paris for a while too. I have some vacation days saved up, I could take her to Martinique for a few weeks. I'm sure she'd…"

Marlena cut off her husband's stream of consciousness speech with a gentle hand on his arm. "Maybe. We'll have to consult the finances and there is, unfortunately, the issue of if charges are pressed."

"Charges…" Otis deflated at that, swallowing thickly. "Right."

"I think," Marlena started carefully. "That we should call Sabine and ask for their side of the story. Alya was saying some pretty startling things about Marinette's behavior, but I'm not sure if that is the sleep deprivation talking or a reality."

After a moment, her husband nodded his balding head. The dark-haired woman smiled thinly and pulled out her phone, dialing Sabine Cheng's number and putting the call on speaker.

It rang twice before the Chinese woman answered.

_"Hello, Marlena,"_ Sabine's voice echoed in the room, her tone tight and drenched in sarcasm. _"Are you calling to add to my daughter's distress?"_

The Cesaires looked at each other in alarm. "No, Sabine. I only just found out what has been going on and wanted to discuss it with you."

_"What is there to discuss? Your daughter has been harassing mine all day for something she had no involvement in. Up until this afternoon, she was with us in the bakery helping with orders. Then Mme. Nightingale made her post and, after Alya's comments, a Friend of hers came to take her for a friend date. You can check her social media, she hasn't even replied to Mme. Nightingale's post or Alya's vile comments._

_"Or do you want to discuss what has been going on for months at Françoise Dupont? Where everyone in Mme. Bustier's class has been either tormenting my daughter or ignoring her because she doesn't like one person in that class. One person who successfully got my daughter wrongfully expelled. One person who got the class to move my daughter to the back of the classroom without being asked for a reason that wasn't verified. One person who your daughter has backed and encouraged to the detriment both of Marinette and Adrien!_

_"Or how Alya took pictures of Marinette during her near akumatization on Monday? She wasn't akumatized, thankfully, but Alya was right there to snap a picture rather than help my daughter. No, Chat Noir saved her. Not her best friend. Does she still have that picture? Did she share it around to humiliated my daughter?!_

_"And all of this wasn't told to me by Marinette. No, she loves Alya too much to even tell her own mother that her_ best friend _is hurting her. No. Adrien Agreste, Nino Lahaffe, and CHAT NOIR told me this. Because they WITNESSED IT, Marlena! So tell me, because I really want to know, what else is there to discuss?_ "

Marlena and Otis were stunned into silence. This was bad. This was very, very bad. Worse than mean comments or bullying texts. 

And neither of them had been the wiser. 

Otis covers his face with his hands, letting out a low curse while his wife crumpled beside him. 

"Merciful God," she prayed softly. "Sabine, I swear I didn't know. I'm sorry. I didn't know."

_"I didn't either, Marlena,"_ Sabine replied, her voice fractured as if holding back tears. _"And saying sorry isn't going to fix this. My daughter-"_ the woman's voice broke. _"My Marinette can't take this anymore, Marlena. Do you understand what that means? Can you even imagine what could have happened if my baozi hadn't talked to me about how stressed she is? Or if her classmates hadn’t come to talk to me about this? Can you just think about what this has done to her?"_

Tears were running down Otis’ cheeks and Marlena was scrubbing her own off. "Yes, I think I understand."

_"Good. Then you will understand that I've spoken with a lawyer and will be filing for charges in the morning. Your daughter committed a crime, Marlena, and I fully intend for justice to be served."_

"I understand," Marlena replied weakly. "And, for what it's worth, I'd do the same thing if I was in your shoes."

_"Good."_ Sabine's voice cleared. _"I would appreciate it if you didn't contact me again. Our lawyer will be in touch."_

"We understand. Thank you for taking my call."

The other woman made what sounded like an acknowledgment on the other end before ending the call. 

The Cesaires sat in silence for a long time, neither even looking at each other, knowing things were only just beginning.

~~~~~

_Sunday_

The sunlight flitted over Alya's face, waking her up gently as if even the world knew things were already stacked against the Creole girl. She stretched and soon opened her eyes, looking around as she realized just how quiet her house was.

A first. And very suspicious first.

Carefully, the auburn-haired girl got out of bed and crept out of her room, looking both ways down the hall before walking towards the stairs and the kitchen where she found her parents sitting at the table, both looking at something on their computer. 

"Manmam? Papa?"

The older Cesaires looked up at their daughter, her father giving a weak smile and her mother giving a tight one. "Good afternoon, Alya." Marlena greeted. "Did you sleep well?"

Alya stretched once more, wondering what was going on. "Yeah. I could probably sleep some more but I'm hungry." 

Otis stood and walked over to the fridge. "What would you like?"

"Some cereal and fruit would be great, Papa."

The balding man nodded and gestured for her to join her mother at the table. A few moments later, all three were sitting at the table with Alya eating her brunch. It was quiet as if no one knew what to say.

Finally, after the teen finished her meal, her father spoke. "Alya, your mother and I have reviewed your comments on Instagram and the text messages you sent to Marinette," his voice was firm but tinted heavily with sadness. "And we are very disappointed with you."

Alya flinched and opened her mouth to say something, but quickly shut it.

"You're mother and I may be very busy with work and ask a lot of you, but we also hope that we have instilled in you and your sisters to do to others as you would want to be done to you. And this," he gestured to the phone that sat next to him on the table. "This is not following those virtues."

The girl curled deeper on herself, her face drawn into a contrite expression. 

"Bullying, whether cyber, verbal, physical, or emotional, is a serious affront to the dignity of someone's personhood. It only breeds hatred and pain, for the bully and the bullied."

"Even when it's against a bully?"

Otis slammed his hand on the table, his eyes wild with desperation. "That's _not_ how you deal with a bully, Alya! That's vengeance a best, and malicious and ruthless targeting at worst. And regardless of your reasoning," his voice broke as a tear escaped his honey-colored eyes. "Alya, you committed a _crime._ A crime that carries with it a prison sentence or a hefty fine or both, and a mark on your permanent record."

Alya froze as his words hit her, fumbling as her world crumbled around her. "But … but…"

"Last night," Marlena spoke up. "I called Sabine to see if I could get both sides of the story. And she told me some rather disturbing things that have been going on at school." She looked sadly at her daughter. "Things Adrien, Nino, and Chat Noir told her."

Alya's blood turned to ice.

"She mentioned a photo of Marinette nearly being akumatized, but I couldn't find it in your phone. What happened to that?"

"I deleted it after Mme. Bustier and I talked."

"Did you send it to anyone?"

Alya shook her head violently. "No Manmam!"

"Good," Marlena sighed with relief. "Alya, honey, this isn't like you," her mother lamented. "I understand you have been stressed out because of Ladybug's interview and Lila not returning your calls, but this…" she shook her head sadly. "Alya, what happened?"

The girl in question shrunk in on herself, wrapping her arms around her. "She… she was bullying Lila, and I just couldn't let her keep doing that."

"Why didn't you talk to a teacher or us? We would have done everything we could to help all three of you." Otis lamented. 

There was a pause, and the teen hiccuped as she stopped a sob. "Because Lila didn't want to. She… she said it wasn't a big deal and that we could just get back at her. That Marinette would get what was coming to her. Karma and all that.” She paused for a long moment, not looking at either of them. “Plus, if Mme. Bustier wasn't doing anything about it in class or at school why would any adult's help be any different?"

Otis stood up and left the table, his face flushed with anger and tears. Alya flinched as the door to his bedroom shut, followed by the sound of whimpering from within.

"I'm sorry." Alya sobbed.

Marlena held her daughter, tightly. "Sorry isn't going to fix it this time, Alya. It really isn't."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know some of you were expecting Marlena and Otis to bring down hellfire on their daughter. And at first, I was too. Then I read their character bios and well... That didn't work out. 
> 
> Marlena is very calm and cool under pressure. She also has to contend with 4 daughters who all have very strong personalities. Calm and disciplined seem more her style.
> 
> And Otis is possibly the more emotional of the two due to his love fire and obvious care for animals and his family. 
> 
> Oh also! The Cesaires are from Martinique for anyone curious. There the locals speak Antillean Creole (from what I could find) and that is why Alya calls her mom "manmam". 
> 
> The next chapter will be out on Sunday. And in that one... We are going back to Françoise Dupont.


	22. Houses Built on Sand Don't Stand pt 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet the new teacher.
> 
> Team Expose Rossi puts their plan into action.
> 
> Alya and Lila met.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: Vomiting

_Monday_

_06:30_

Dr. Benjamin Ratagatz shook out his umbrella and took a deep breath as he opened the doors to Collége Françoise Dupont. His bespeckled brown eyes looked around, taking in the mostly empty courtyard and interior of the school. It looked so unimposing. 

Yet, this institution had the highest rate of akumatizations in all of Paris.

And that was daunting. Even for a trained educator like himself. 

Rubbing his shaven chin, he located and ascended the stairs that lead to the headmaster's office. Checking his watch to confirm the time, the man adjusted his bow tie and knocked. 

A moment later, a soft "come in" echoed from within and Dr. Ratagatz didn't hesitate to follow the request. 

M. Damocles sat at his desk, reorganizing a small stack of papers into a folder before looking up. He looked up at his visitors and gave a warm smile behind his full beard and gestured for the man to come and sit. "You must be M. Ratagatz."

"Dr. Ratagatz at your service, sir." The younger man corrected smoothly.

The older man's eyes widened. "Forgive me, I didn't know." 

Dr. Ratagatz shrugged. "No harm, no foul." He sat in one of the chairs before the headmaster. "I'm sure Mme. Beaufort has updated you on why I've been assigned here?"

M. Damocles nodded. "Yes and we here at Françoise Dupont are grateful to have you."

The doctor accepted the compliment. "I wish my services were not needed, but with Papillon around, more and more teachers like myself are being trained to help all students in our fine city." He looked at the folder. "What should I be aware of before I meet my new class?"

~~~~~

_07:00_

Marinette woke up with a small headache and a broken heart but forced herself to get out of bed. 

Today was a new day. A new start...

She could get through this. 

She had to try.

She couldn't let Lila or Alya win. They had both tried to break her, but she still had people in her corner: her parents, Tikki, the other kwamis, Kagami, Mme. Mendeleiev's class, Luka…

Chat Noir.

Adrien.

Marinette squared her shoulders as she descended the stairs to the main floor of her room, going to her closet. She pulled out a new dress she had managed to make over the weekend and headed down to the bathroom to get ready. Because she was up earlier than usual, she was able to get a shower before dressing and going to the kitchen for breakfast. She decided to leave her hair down that day but pinned back her bangs with red and gold clips to give her a more Ruyko appearance, the heroine that inspired her outfit.

It was risky enough for her to wear colors similar to Ladybug, but Tikki had assured her that due to the amount of crimson and gold and her avoidance of black in her creation, that likely no one would notice. Especially with her hair down.

Sabine blinked in surprise when she saw her daughter and pulled her into a hug. The younger ravenette leaned into the embrace, fighting back the ache in her chest. Her mother pulled away after a long moment. 

"You don't have to go to school today, baozi. Your father and I discussed it last night. It would probably be better for you to stay home."

Marinette sighed and looked down for a moment. "But I don't want to get too behind. Exams are in a couple of weeks, Maman, and I… I don't want to get behind, especially since I just transferred to a new class."

"So, have Kagami or Aurore bring you the classwork and notes. Maybe invite them over for lunch? We want you to be safe, and we aren't sure Françoise Dupont can offer that to you anymore."

Marinette deflated. She couldn't tell her mom the real reason that she wanted to go. She had this nagging feeling that butterflies might show up today at the school and Ladybug would be needed. But then… "I'm also worried about Adrien. And with my phone missing - Did I leave it down here? I couldn't find it when I woke up. - I can't contact him. His number changed."

Sabine gave her a look, one Marinette was all too familiar with. Her mom could sense that there was more. 

"I also really miss my friends. My real ones. I want to spend time with them, especially after… Saturday."

The older woman sighed and pulled her daughter into another hug. "Okay. But I want you to come home for lunch and if there is even the barest hint of trouble, you call me and I will come and get you." She pulled away to look into her daughter's eyes. "I mean this, Marinette. If anyone from _that class_ bothers you, if Lila or Alya approach you, or there is the slightest hinting that bullying is coming your way, I want you to call me."

"Where is my phone?" Marinette asked, nodding that she will do what her mother instructed.

"Chat Noir said he will have someone personally deliver a new one to you this morning around 07:45. Your screen was shattered to bits, but he wanted to fix it. I'm sure whoever he would send to deliver it would be able to find you at school."

Warmth crept into her chest, soothing the ache even just a bit, and a small smile lit up her face. Her partner was a good person, even if he had ridiculously timed puns. "Could we make pain au chocolat for him? As a thank you."

Sabine smiled. "Papa is already working on them. If you want to help before going to school, you are more than welcome to."

Marinette kissed her mother's cheek before running upstairs. "Thanks, Maman! I'll be down in a few minutes."

~~~~~

_07:35_

The Bourgeois limo pulled up outside of Françoise Dupont just like any other school day. But when the blonde exited the vehicle, her appearance was so different that some of the students did a double-take. 

Chloé's long blonde hair was pulled into a tight bun where her ponytail would usually rest. She wore a black dress blazer over a yellow dress blouse, off-white skirt, and black kitten heels. Notably, her flashy, diamond-studded belt, and sunglasses were absent. A white umbrella blocked the lingering raindrops from touching her flawless appearance.

To some, she looked like a lawyer. 

To others, dressed to kill.

And the look on her face sealed the deal. 

Students gave her a wide berth as she ascended the stairs like a woman on a mission.

And she was. 

After Alya's horrendous comments over the weekend, the Expose Rossi Team had agreed that they couldn't delay anymore. They had all the evidence they needed to prove the vixen was a liar. They may be too late to stop Alya from ruining her life, but maybe they could help the others. 

In the courtyard, she found Lê Chiên Kim and Max Kanté waiting for her. While their appearances weren't as startling of a change as Chloé's, they both were dressed more professionally, with both wearing collared shirts and dress slacks. 

To keep with his personality, Kim had chosen to wear his wine-colored shirt untucked from his khaki slacks and with the sleeves rolled to the middle of his arm. Interestingly, he still wore sneakers, but it looked like he had cleaned them to make them look more presentable. His hair was even styled a touch differently, cleaner, more professional.

Max's outfit was only slightly modified from his usual clothing choices. He wore an off white short-sleeved dress shirt and black slacks. His overalls were missing but replaced by a belt. He cleaned up quite well, Chloé had to admit.

Both of them did.

"Kanté, Lê Chiên, good morning. Ready to do this?"

"Yep," Kim replied, his tone and face lacking his usual warmth. "I informed Dr. Martín we would be coming as soon as you got here."

Max adjusted his glasses and Markov flew up to his shoulder. "We have everything in order."

Chloé nodded. "Let's go."

~~~~~

_07:40_

Adrien checked his bag and pockets for the nth time, making sure he had everything in order. After Chloé had given him the all-clear, it was go time.

Today was D-Day. By the end of the day today if everything went according to plan, everyone in the Akuma class (and maybe the rest of the school with the way rumors spread at Françoise Dupont) would know that Lila was a manipulator and that Marinette had been right all along.

His part of the operation was simple: keep Marinette out of the cross-fire. He and Kagami would stick with her and keep all members of their old class away from her, regardless of their initial intentions. 

After being with her Saturday and Sunday night as Chat Noir, and what Kagami had told Adrien about how she was on Sunday… their friend wouldn't be able to handle any more harassment. 

Chat had asked Sabine if she planned on keeping Marinette home on Monday, and she said yes, though her daughter was strong-willed and likely would still try to go. Kagami and Adrien took this into consideration, and Chat had planned for it. 

At 07:45, Kagami and Adrien would arrive at the patisserie and meet with Marinette. If she was coming to school, they would escort her. If she was staying home, they would offer to bring her the classwork and notes. Maybe they could even stay for lunch.

And Adrien, with Chat's handkerchief as proof, would deliver Marinette's new phone to her.

Plagg peaked out of the green overshirt Adrien wore that day (the tiniest bit of rebellion he could muster with his nerves so shot from the weekend). "Kid, it'll work. Chill out."

Adrien stopped fiddling and nodded towards his kwami, taking a deep breath. He looked at his phone to check the time just as a familiar red vehicle pulled up in front of Françoise Dupont. 

Perfect timing.

Kagami said her farewell to her mother and climbed out, a plain black umbrella held above her head to block the rain. With a smile, she joined and greeted Adrien. 

Team Expose Rossi had divided into three subgroups: Chloé, Max, and Kim were the Expose Group, Adrien and Kagami were the Protection Squad, and Luka was Extraction. If things went south, he was a phone call and a bike ride away. 

Not for the first time did Adrien wish he had asked to borrow Sass or Longg. Or both. Even though Papillion knew their identities, it would be handy to have Viperion and Ruyko on standby. Even Roi Singe and Pegasus would be helpful. 

But they would have to settle for Chat Noir and hope that Ladybug wouldn’t be too far behind.

And pray that a mass akumatization didn’t happen.

“Adrien?” Kagami’s voice broke through his anxiety-induced thoughts. 

The blonde teen’s green eyes snapped up to meet worried brown eyes. “Sorry, Kagami, I was just reviewing the plan.” He straightened and nodded towards the door of the patisserie. “Ready?”

The dark-eyed girl didn’t look convinced, but nodded, holding her umbrella over both of them. 

They walked to the entrance of Tom and Sabine’s Patisserie…

Only to almost get knocked over by a speeding ravenette in crimson.

For half a second, Adrien almost thought it was Ladybug running out of the bakery. His arms wrapped around the figure and he thanked his good luck that he didn’t fall to the wet pavement. 

“Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry!” A familiar voice practically screeched from his arms.

_Marinette._

Holding on to her for only a second longer to confirm she wasn’t going to fall over, he released her and smiled. “Nothing broken or bruised, right?”

Marinette stared at him, her blue eyes widening and she was about to blubber through more apologies when Kagami swooped in to give her a hug as well. “Marinette! Your dress! It's… it’s beautiful… I just…” 

Adrien blinked at his girlfriend’s statement before he realized just what she was referring to. The young designer was wearing another hero inspired outfit.

And this one was clearly Ruyko. A simple red sundress dress with gold trim and gold thread embroidered symbols of fire, water, and wind around the neckline. Adrien found himself gaping. This is what Marinette had been working on the night before. And it turned out magnificently. 

Not that he expected anything less.

Marinette hugged the taller girl back and the boy thought he heard a whisper or two between the two girls, but he didn’t pry. Though he did clear his throat after a moment as they were going to be cutting it close to school if they didn’t get moving.

Kagami reluctantly released her friend. “Are you coming to school today?”

“Yes, I figured it would be best not to miss too much after transferring classes.” 

The blonde and other ravenette nodded, and Kagami lifted her umbrella again. “Shall we?”

“Oh!” Marinette reached down to pick up something she dropped, an umbrella. “I brought my own. Well…” She turned to look at Adrien. “It’s the one you let me use… I’m sorry I never returned it.” She held it out to him.

And he was hit with a sudden sense of deja vu. 

Adrien smiled, uncertain. “You can keep it.”

“I’d… I’d rather not.” Marinette insisted, her eyes gaining that look that he had seen before. The same look she had given him at Andre’s ice cream, a look that conveyed that this was a major crossroad on which they would go separately, even if he didn’t understand what that meant. 

And something that sounded very Chat like inside of him screamed _“DON'T LET HER GO!”_

He looked at the handle of the umbrella, then back at her, then again to the umbrella. Swallowing thickly, he reached out and took it from her, their fingers brushing as she handed it to him.

Both of them didn't say a word, but the ravenette let out a deep breath before the three of them made their way towards the school. Marinette and Kagami shared an umbrella while Adrien lagged a bit behind, an eye on the look out for any member of the Akuma Class.

But his mind kept wondering what just happened.

~~~~~

_07:50_

Chloé, Max, and Kim sat before Dr. Martín and M. Damocles, their evidence spread out on the latter’s desk. After a brief meeting with the former, Dr. Martin had insisted that they go straight to the headmaster.

This was proof that Lila was a serious threat to the security of the school, not just to one class. Proof that, unwittingly or not, the Italian student had set up an environment in which an akuma swarm could feast upon, leading to another mass akumatization.

M. Damocles looked over the evidence with a critical eye, though Max could very clearly see the sweat building on the man’s forehead. The man knew the only way he could respond to this. 

The question was, would he do it?

M. Damocles picked up the phone beside him and dialed a number. After a moment, someone picked up. “Dr. Ratagatz? Has Lila Rossi arrived?... Will you call me when she does?... Merci.” He hung up and turned back to the three students. “I truly appreciate you bringing this to my attention. I will have to make a few phone calls, but I can assure you that this will be taken seriously.”

“How seriously?” Chloé asked, her tone giving an unspoken threat.

“Serious enough for me to contact her mother.” He replied, trying to look in control.

After a moment of staring the man down, the blonde nodded slowly. This would require a follow-up.

And not from the rumor mill.

Dr. Martín looked up at the clock. “Is there anything else?”

Kim spoke up. “Yes. Should we bring this up during our class session?”

The therapist shook her head. “It would be best to wait until M. Damocles can make those phone calls. Once he has gotten the ball rolling on the disciplinary measure appropriate for this situation, we can speak with your classmates.”

The three nodded. It wasn’t what they had hoped for. But it was better than it could have been.

“You have a few minutes before class starts. If there is nothing else, I recommend you all not be tardy.”

~~~~~

Just as the Expose Team left the headmaster’s office, two cars parked in the parking spots available for parents near the Collége. Two families exited their vehicles and began walking towards the doors.

Ambassador Rossi and Lila walked side by side under the elder’s umbrella. The ambassador looking ahead, her expression hard. The girl at her side walked stiffly, her fists clenched at her sides, her chin tilted up in a defiant expression. 

Not too far away, the Cesaires walked, sharing two umbrellas between the three of them. Marlena and Otis each held one and Alya stood between them, covered more by one than the other. Marlena looked sad but determined. Otis had a blank expression, bags pulling at his eyes as if he hadn’t slept in days. And Alya looked lost, her arms crossed across her chest, but the side looks she gave her father suggested she was worried about him.

When both families reached the top of the steps into the school, the adults lowered and shook out their umbrellas, allowing their daughters to see each other.

Alya launched herself towards Lila, surprising the Italian with a cry of joy as the Creole girl clung to her. “LILA! You are okay!”

The Italian girl tensed as her mother observed the interaction. "It's good to see you too, Alya," Lila replied, her expression strained as she smiled.

"Girl! Why didn't you answer your phone?" Alya pulled away to look her in the eye. "I've been calling and texting you since Thursday! How did things go with M. Damocles? Did you report Marinette's bullying?"

Lila's olive-colored eyes looked towards her mother for a moment before looking at the ground, her lips tightened and she didn't answer.

Marlena and Otis walked over, cautious politeness. They greet the ambassador politely and introduce themselves. 

"Good morning. I'm Otis Cesaire," the balding man greeted. "and this is my wife Marlena, and daughter Alya."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Lila's m… wait. Cesaire?" She turned to look at Alya. "Are you the girl who interviewed my daughter? For a blog?"

The three Cesaires froze before Alya spoke. 

"Y-yes, Madame." 

The woman's shoulders slumped. "I'm very sorry to tell you this, but it is entirely possible that everything my daughter has ever told you is a lie, not just that she was friends with Ladybug."

Alya let go of Lila as if she had suddenly burst into flames. "W-What do you mean?"

"On Thursday," the ambassador began, her expression full of compassion for the auburn-haired girl. "I was summoned here at the behest for Sig. Damocles, and it was then that I learned that several things my daughter told me were fabrications. I'm not sure what she told you, but for the two months she was not in school, she was at our apartment claiming that Chat Noir and Ladybug had never successfully cleansed any of the akumas. In addition, she claimed the school was closed due to that akuma crisis."

Alya paled and her eyes grew wide.

"It was also on Thursday that I learned she fabricated a long-distance relationship with Adrien Agreste. I only learned the truth when Child Welfare requested a restraining order against my daughter on Adrien's behalf."

"R-restraining order!" Alya's honey-colored eyes locked on Lila. "For _what_?"

Finally, Lila spoke. "Sexual harassment."

The auburn-haired hair girl pallor was so pale everyone thought she would pass out. Her mother came in beside her and wrapped an arm around her. But she didn't feel the warmth of those arms. All she could feel was the widening black hole created in her very psyche. "But… but you told me… you _swore_ the two of you were in love! That's why Marinette hates you! That's why she bullies you! That's…"

"Signa. Cesaire, there is no evidence my daughter was ever bullied, by this Marinette or anyone else. None of those stories checked out upon Sig. Damocles' and my own investigations. In fact, based on Lila's actions, I'd assume that the opposite is true. You were deceived." Mme. Rossie looked at Marlena and Otis. "We all were."

"It was all a lie?" Alya echoed, breathless as if the black hole forming in her mind stole the oxygen around her.

Lila nodded, her expression ruthless.

Bile boiled up and Alya had just enough time run over to some bushes and lean down before getting sick. Marlena stood with her, rubbing her back as she kept the two of them underneath an umbrella, distraught at her daughter's distress.

Otis cleared his throat, distress evident on his features before turning back to the tall Italian. "Thank you for informing us of this. Unfortunately, it has come a tad late for my daughter."

Mme. Rossi's green eyes widened. "Merciful heavens! What happened?"

The Martinique man swallows thickly. "While under the impression of the lies your daughter told mine, she… committed a crime. Charges are currently pending, according to the victim's parents."

The ambassador vibrated with rage as she turned on her daughter. The younger Italian refused to look at her mother, instead she found the pavement very interesting. Taking a steadying breath, the older Italian pulled out a business card and a pen. She scribbled a number down on the card before handing it to Otis. "This is my personal cell as well as my office number and my email at the embassy. If there is _anything_ I or my daughter can do to help, please do not hesitate to call. I will do everything in my power to help."

Otis hesitated only a moment before he took the card. "Merci beaucoup, Mme. Rossi."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, Team Expose Rossi had a pretty decent hiccup in their plans. (The original plan was to talk to Dr. Martín and see if they could expose Lila during the group therapy. But that's not going to happen.) 
> 
> But now Alya _knows_ Lila is a liar. We'll see what happens from here.
> 
> Also, Dr. Benjamin Ratagatz's appearance is inspired by Milo Thatch from Disney's Atlantis.
> 
> The next chapter will be out on Tuesday! Thanks for reading! <3


	23. Houses Built on Sand don't Stand pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> M. Damocles makes a decision.
> 
> The Akama class meets their new teacher.
> 
> And discoveries are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A massive shout out and big thank you to TheFrenchMiracular in the comments for giving me the disciplinary structure of French schools. You are awesome and I truly appreciate the help! If I mess something up, please let me know and I will correct it ASAP!
> 
> Also! I've officially added this to a series! Right now it's called IRBM Universe, but that will likely change. If you want an update on when the sequel comes out or any other smaller bits that come with this story, please subscribe so you get notified! <3

_08:00_

Mme. Cesaire: _Nino, can you do me a favor?_

Nino: _sure, Mme. C. What's up?_

Mme. Cesaire _: Alya's not feeling well and won't be in class today. Could you bring her homework over after school?_

Nino: _sure thing! I hope she feels better soon._

~~~~~~

M. Damocles stared down at the very detailed information Mlle. Bourgies, M. Kanté, and M. Lê Chiên had left with him. The sheer volume and types of lies that Mlle. Rossi had told, on top of the ones used to get Mlle. Dupain-Cheng expelled and her assault of M. Agreste painted a very dangerous picture.

When those lies would be proven to be fabrications… it could potentially trigger another Scarlet Papillion attack.

Lila Rossi was a danger to her classmates.

A danger to her teachers.

A danger to the school.

The older man wearily rubbed his mustaches, leaning back in his chair to stare at the ceiling. He knew the answer to this problem. He had spent the whole weekend reviewing policy after policy. Even if he only had fifteen more days at Francoise Dupont, he was going to do everything by the book.

He reached for the school phone on his desk and picked up the receiver just as there was a knock at his door.

M. Damocles blinked and lowered the phone. “Come in!” He called.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Mme. Rossi and Lila Rossi walked into his office. 

“Good morning, Headmaster.” The older woman greeted with a strained smile. “While we were dropping off Lila’s doctors' notes, your secretary informed us that you wanted to speak with Lila. I hope you don’t mind if I stay as well.”

“Actually, Ambassador,” M. Damocles gestured for them to sit. “I am very glad you are here. I wanted to speak to you both.” He cleared his throat and waited for them to settle into the chairs, folding his hands on his desk. Once they complied, though Lila sat stiffly as if she fully intended to bolt if the chance presented itself, he began. “After reviewing our school policies, I have decided what disciplinary measures Lila will have to complete in regards to what happened Thursday. For the sake of clarity, Lila will be disciplined for her assault of M. Agreste and her lengthy absences. For this, she will spend three days in temporary exclusion from her classmates and be required to complete 10 hours of service to the school grounds. This, however, does not impact any legal action that may or may not be taken by M. Agreste.” 

Mme. Rossi sighed and nodded, accepting the reasoning.

After a moment, the headmaster’s face darkened slightly and he gestured to his desk. “That was until more was brought to my attention that requires answers.”

  
  
Mme. Rossi’s expression hardened as she turned to her daughter. 

Lila’s shoulders slouched for a moment before she tilted her chin up defiantly and crossed her legs in an attempt to look more powerful than her mother. 

“What has been brought to your attention, Sig. Damocles?” Mme. Rossi asked, her tone sharp, but not towards the headmaster.

“Evidence to suggest that Lila has been creating an environment that could, and has already led to, a mass akumatization.”

Mme. Rossi turned to M. Damocles, her mouth hanging open slightly. 

The man straightened but continued unfettered. “From the day of her return to school after her lengthy absence until the day that she accused Mlle. Dupain-Cheng of theft, she told and expanded on many lies to her classmates. These may have started as white lies, but when she sabotaged her classmate and led to her wrongful Expulsion, almost everyone in her class was akumatized at once.”

The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees.

“And it appears that something similar may be happening in her class currently. This,” he lifted a stack of papers. “Is a detailed list of concerns from members of the school, and this,” He lifted another paper from beside it. “Is a report from the investigators sent by the Board of Governors to investigate several complaints regarding Francoise Dupont. In the list, it details the types of promises and stories she claimed to be real to her classmates, several of which could have legal action if they came to light.”

Lila looked ready to combust, her olive eyes were wide and her fists were gripping the opposite arm with a strength that would likely leave bruises.

Mme. Rossi looked pale, but sat straight and listened carefully to every word coming out of the man’s mouth.

“And the report begins as follows.” He began. “‘After reviewing the footage of every student from Mme. Bustier’s class who was akumatized on school property, we have reason to believe that Mlle. Lila Rossi was voluntarily akumatized. In the footage of her akumatization into Chameleon, she beckons to an akuma. We have sent the footage to the authorities to be properly analyzed. In the meantime, we recommend that her case be brought to the Disciplinary Board for review and Permanent Exclusion be sought for the protection of the students and staff at Francoise Dupont.’”

He looked up at the two women, his expression clearly stating that he would be immovable on this.

Lila’s hands had gone slack and her arms dropped slightly, her mouth opening to mimic how her mother was only minutes prior. “T-There must be some kind of mistake! I-I wouldn’t-”

“Lila!” Her mother roared, turning on her daughter. “They have you on _tape_. People can lie, it is much harder for CCTV to _lie_! You've already been caught assaulting someone on camera. Why _should_ I believe you over a camera?”

The teen flinched, looking genuinely terrified, but didn’t answer.

The angry Italian woman turned back to M. Damocles. “What is the procedure from here? I know very little about how the French school disciplinary system works regarding this.”

The headmaster set down the papers and folded his hands, keeping an air of calm. “Due to the severity of this accusation, I will not be able to give judgement. We will instead, have this reviewed by the Disciplinary Board. There will be a formal hearing, similar to a trial, where evidence will be presented and you will be able to defend Lila in regards to those charges. It is heavily encouraged to have a defender with you and Lila, though they do not need to be legal counsel. Please know that should criminal charges be pressed, the disciplinary board will withhold judgement until after those proceedings are complete.

Mme. Rossi blanched slightly at that but nodded in understanding.

"Due to the precautions needed to keep our students, staff, and your daughter safe, I am issuing a Conservatory Measure of Prohibition. This prevents Lila from coming into the premises until the Board meets. This is not a sanction, as all punishments will only be issued by the Disciplinary Board". He took a breath and folded his hands again. "Are there any questions?"

Lila opened her mouth, then shut it, crossed her arms again, and leaned back in her chair, glaring at the window. Mme. Rossi followed her daughter's line of sight, but saw nothing, and looked back at the headmaster. "Not at the moment."

"If that changes at any time during these proceedings, please don't hesitate to ask."

~~~~~

As the tardy bell rang, Dr. Ratagatz called his class to order. 

"Good morning, class," he greeted, straightening, and waiting for his students to settle. It took a moment, but eventually, they quieted and looked at him. "I'm Dr. Benjamin Ratagatz and I'll be your teacher for the remainder of the term. Feel free to call me Doc or Dr. R, if you wish. A little about me: I was born in Germany, then moved to Quebec when I was very little. I did go to medical school but also have a master's in education. And I have a white Persian cat who likes to get her fur all over me. So if I come in looking like a hairball that's why."

Several of his students chuckled at that.

Dr. Ratagatz smiled and lifted the attendance sheet. "While we take attendance, to help me get to know you a little, please tell me what name you prefer to be called and your favorite subject in school." He looked down at the sheet. "Chloé Bourgeois?"

He didn't see the wide-eyed glances of his students as if he had missed something. 

"Present!" A blonde in the front row put her hand up. "Chloé is fine and my favorite subject is math, particularly finance."

Several of his students rolled their eyes at her.

Dr. Ratagatz smiled in greeting and checked the box beside her name. "Ivan Bruel?"

The large male student raised his hand. "Ivan and poetry."

"Alya Cesaire?"

No answer. And some of the students looked either sad (like the boy wearing the baseball cap) or enraged (specifically Chloé) when her name was called. 

"Alya Cesaire?"

Still no answer, nor did a student come through the door.

He put down and A for absent and moved on.

"Juleka Couffaine?"

The girl in black with purple-tipped hair raised her hand and mumbled. "Juleka and I like science."

"Myléne Harpéle?"

A mousy girl with rainbow dreadlocks raised her hand but looked confused. "Myléne and I really enjoy literature."

"Maxamillian Kanté?"

A bespectacled boy raised his hand. "Max is acceptable, and I'd say math and science are my favorite subjects."

"Alixa-"

"Alix is fine!" A pink-haired girl shouted from her seat beside Myléne. "And because I live at the Louvre, Phys. Ed. is my favorite subject."

Dr. Ratagatz chuckled at that. "Well met, Alix." He made a note to not call her by her full name. "Nathaniel Kurtzburg?"

A shy red-haired boy raised his hand from the back of the classroom. "Nathaniel is fine and art is my favorite subject."

"Nino Lahiffe?"

The cap-wearing boy raised his hand. "Nino is fine, du- uh- Doc! And music is my favorite."

"Rose Lavillant?"

"Present!" The pixie blonde sitting beside Juleka called out. "And I love history!

"Lê Chiên Kim?"

The athlete raised his hand. "I think that's the first time a teacher has called my name in the traditional order. Kim is my preferred name and I enjoy science, though not physics."

"But physics likes you," Dr. Ratagatz and Alix said at the same time before laughing.

"Dude…" Nino whispered.

"Sabrina Raincomprix?"

"Present," the red-haired girl beside Chloé answered, adjusting her glasses. "And math is my favorite."

"Lila Rossi?"

Three students froze, but there was no answer. 

"Lila Rossi?"

Still no answer. The doctor put an A next to her name and set down the attendance sheet. "Alright. Now if you could please open-"

"Dr. Ratagatz?" Mylene raised her hand urgently. "Are… I mean, two more of our classmates are missing but you didn't call for them." 

"Really?" The instructor picked up the sheet and went down the list. "I don't have anyone else listed."

His students began to whisper among themselves, but he called them to order. "As I was saying, please open your text to page…"

~~~~~

09:30

Group chat: D-Day

Adrien: _how'd it go?_

Chloé: _not according to the plan._

Max: _but maybe even better. Statically, school disciplinary action can be more effective for the sake of the student body._

Adrien: _remember what happened the last time the school disciplinary system did its magic in our class?_

Chloé: _M. Damocles don't follow procedure, to a ridiculous degree. But I believe something has changed, and it likely has a lot to do with the lady who came to see our class on Friday._

Adrien: _what lady?_

Kim _: Mme Sandra Beaufort. Chair of the Board of Governors_

Kim: _and I believe M. D's boss._

Max: _well one of them._

Adrien: _so, action is being done? Sweet._

Chloé: _what does that mean, Agreste?_

Adrien: _last week, Mari mentioned something about putting in a request for review of her wrongful expulsion with the Board of Governors_.

Chloé: _and when were you going to share that information with the rest of us?_

Adrien _:... Right now?_

Chloé: _it's a good thing you are pretty_.

Kagami: _tell me about it._

Adrien: _hey. You knew about it too, Kagami. She told us when she gave me the number to call about Lila's harassment._

Kagami: _I hope you are ready to be defeated in dodgeball, Agreste_.

Kim: _RIP Model boy! She has a mean throw._

Chloé: _don't mess up his face, Kagami. His father might come after you._

Max: _statistically, Adrien is more likely to come anyway with a bruise on his back than on his face._

Kagami: _I have my ways_.

Adrien: _have fun in therapy, guys. I'll be sure to remember you all in my will._

Chloé: _Sass will get you no pity, Agreste._

Adrien: 😜

~~~~~

Chloé: _hey Adrien. Everyone in class is wondering where you went. Would it be alright if I told them?_

Adrien: _since there's an active investigation, I don't think you can tell them the reason, but you can tell them I transferred classes. Want me to see if Mari wouldn't mind you telling them?_

Chloé: _please and thank you._

Adrien: _… who are you and what have you done with Chloé?_

Chloé: [_Sarcasm.gif_](https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=iLZUoGyt&id=5E5CBB5858F85A714995F2980BC9395FF3530409&thid=OIP.iLZUoGytEECShirZWTr62gHaDR&mediaurl=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2FsXlZQQbA6dT3O%2Fgiphy.gif&exph=221&expw=500&q=sarcasm+gif&simid=608042192257614991&ck=6A32EF39FEDDF8E71DE68D2F65B9847C&selectedindex=7&adlt=demote&shtp=GetUrl&shid=6ee76849-1fa2-4f96-ba52-f653c1f3ce37&shtk=U2Fzc3kgU2FyY2FzbSBHSUYgLSBGaW5kICYgU2hhcmUgb24gR0lQSFk%3D&shdk=Rm91bmQgb24gQmluZyBmcm9tIGdpcGh5LmNvbQ%3D%3D&shhk=06T46yruWzxfSl7xudthmpn2LDNV3G9ZWwcCz2qrheE%3D&form=EX0023&shth=OSH.mnjei9ScsuFza3hNFjF6aQ)

Chloé: _just ask her, Sunshine._

Adrien: _Mari says it's okay, just tell them she transferred too. No need to go into details._

Chloé: [thumbs up.gif](https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=Qwgs5cq7&id=9A3CF263ABD836A43B30DE4D290A375BC08ECFFE&thid=OIP.Qwgs5cq7BlVZp2TyOPb1_gHaEt&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2f33.media.tumblr.com%2f795c1f7851972853aed91dae3c6d8a4d%2ftumblr_inline_nsvpflTBhD1qgysr7_500.gif&exph=318&expw=500&q=hades+thumbs+up+gif&simid=608046315414555358&ck=6E6EF332D0C936C433EF259EF5E42DEB&selectedindex=0&ajaxhist=0&first=1&scenario=ImageBasicHover)

~~~~~

_09:35_

As Dr. Ratagatz led his class to Dr. Sol Martín's temporary office, Nino walked beside Kim and Max. "Nice duds, dudes. What's the occasion?"

The genius and the athlete looked at each other for a moment before replying. 

"We had a meeting with M. Damocles this morning and decided it would be best to look more professional," Kim answered with a shrug.

The cap-wearing boy lifted an eyebrow. "Really?"

Max answered. "Yeah, we've been working on a project and we needed his approval."

Nino nodded, his expression giving a "seems legit" vibe. "And Chloé just happened to also dress up?"

Kim rolled his eyes. "Does anyone truly understand the enigma that is Chloé Bourgeois?"

"Good deflection." Nino chuckled before leaning closer and whispering. "I saw the three of you go into M. Damocles' office with a woman I assume is our new counselor. So what's up?"

"Unfortunately," Max interjected quickly. "Per Dr. Martín and M. Damocles' requests we can't divulge that information. Sorry, Nino. We'd love to but…"

"But our hands are tied."

The budding DJ nodded as something caught his eye. 

Not something, someone. Just ahead of them, coming up the stairs towards M. Damocles' office walked a purple-haired man in a rock outfit, a woman with a pixie hair cut and a clipboard, and a _crocodile_ on a leash between them. 

"Oh my gosh!" Rose squealed. "It's Jagged Stone!"

"He has a crocodile? So rad." Juleka muttered.

"But I thought Lila said he had a kitten?" Mylene quietly inquired.

Dr. Ratagatz hurried his students into the room next to M. Damocles' just as Jagged knocked on the other door. 

Nino watched as the headmaster's door opened and out walked Lila Rossi and a woman of considerable family resemblance. Her mother maybe?

Penny Rolling spoke loud enough to be heard. "Are you Lila Rossi?"

"Who's asking?" Lila replied, crossing her arms.

“I’m Penny Rolling, Jagged Stone’s agent,” the woman replied smoothly, gesturing towards her boss.

The brunette dropped her arms slowly and her mother replied. “I’m Mme. Rossi. How can I help you both?”

Penny passed a manilla envelope to Jagged, who in turn passed it to Mme. Rossi. “Your daughter is being served this cease and desist order.” the rock star replied aggressively.

“For what charge?” the woman asked, her voice almost resigned as she opened the envelope. 

Penny and Jagged blinked as if expecting a completely different response, but recovered quickly. “She is to cease her claims of rescuing my non-existent cat from a runway, of damages to her person, and that I wrote a song about her regarding that supposed event.”

The older Italian looked towards her daughter, but Nino couldn’t see her expression. “Is she also being sued?” her tone was flat, resigned.

Again, another odd reaction. 

Penny recovered faster this time, handing the woman another envelope. “Yes, for defamation.” 

Mme. Rossi nodded, but Nino was pulled away before he could see anything more. He looked around the small office as the door closed behind him. A woman with sun-kissed skin gestured for him to sit with his classmates. And based on the looks on all of their faces, they had heard what Jagged and Penny had said.

Kim raised his hand. “Dr. Martin, can we talk about what just happened to our classmate?”

~~~~~

Max: _Mission engaged. Thanks to Jagged Stone._

Adrien: _what?_

Max: _Stone just served Lie-la a cease and desist order and a suit for defamation, in front of the class._

Max: _well more accurately while the class was going to therapy and she and her mother were coming out of the headmaster's office_. 

_Message unread._

Max: _Adrien?_

_Message unread._

~~~~~

_“You’ve reached Ladybug. I’m not available right now but leave me a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.”_

“Hey, Bug, we may have a situation over at Francoise Dupont. Call me back when you can, okay?” Chat put away his baton and stared out at the foreboding sky above the school. Fortunately, it had been very easy to escape from P.E. after receiving Max's text. 

Unfortunately, it was still raining. So the superhero was sheltered in a doorway looking out at the storm outside, loathed to have to venture out there.

With the heads up, maybe he'd be able to spot butterflies if they came. 

And with any luck, Ladybug would get his message.

And with even more luck, maybe there would be no akumas and he wouldn't get sick.

Focusing on the air around him, his faux ears twitched, trying to help hone in on the familiar sound of fluttering wings. So far, nothing. 

And he'd take that over an army of butterflies.

~~~~~

In his upper office in the Agreste Mansion, Gabriel stood by his computer reviewing everything the Human Resources division of _Gabriel_ when Nooroo shuddered and the Miraculous under the man's candy can striped cravat flashed.

"Master… it's coming from your son's school." The butterfly kwami said, hesitation evident in his voice. 

The Platinum-blonde paused, weighing the decision before him.

With such a powerful surge of emotion, the person would likely create a powerful akuma.

But Lila Rossi was still in attendance at Françoise Dupont, and after what she had done to his son, he was hesitant to use her even as an akuma. 

But this might be the one that defeats Ladybug and Chat Noir!

But his son would be caught in the crossfire. 

The decision was made for him as the emotion gradually faded before vanishing entirely.

Taking a deep breath, Gabriel straightened his cravat and turned back to his work. "There will be other opportunities, Nooroo. We will wait and see."

~~~~~

09:45

Before granting Kim's request, Dr. Martín led the students in a brief relaxation exercise. With such a distressing revelation to many in the class, it was the best way to help bring everyone to a more calm and rational mindset.

Rose was now sniffling in Juleka's arms instead of crying and Alix was breathing easier rather than hyperventilating. Ivan and Nathaniel were staring off into space while Mylene was anxiously fiddling with her fingers, rather than biting her nails as had been before.

Surprisingly, Nino's reaction had been the calmest of his classmates besides Chloé, Max, and Kim. He had adjusted his cap and assisted Dr. Martín in the relaxation exercise.

But Sabrina's had been the most intense of the reactions. She had fainted right into Chloé's arms, pushing both onto the ground. Rather than push her off, the blonde had cradled her red-haired friend, pulled a fan out of her purse, and had begun to fan Sabrina in an attempt to rouse her. She hadn't stirred yet, but her color looked a lot better.

Dr. Ratagatz had left the room after a brief, hushed conversation with Dr. Martín. But Max had been able to pick up the word "headmaster" and could only guess that he was going to update M. Damocles on the situation and likely to get Mme. Blanchet in case Sabrina required medical attention. 

And the genius proved to be mostly correct. 

A few minutes into the calming exercise, Dr. Ratagatz, M. Damocles, Mme. Blanchet and a dark-haired woman Max had never seen before. The school nurse immediately attended to the unconscious redhead, Dr. Ratagatz took over for Dr. Martín, and the counselor convened quietly with the headmaster and the unknown woman.

Soon, Sabrina was awake and taken to the nurse's office with Chloé in tow, and the rest of the class sat in silence.

It was M. Damocles who finally broke the silence. "Students, I'd like to talk to you about what happened just minutes ago."

Nine adolescents looked up at the bearded from various positions around the room with various emotions written on their faces. 

The headmaster took a deep breath and stood straighter. "Over the last week, the Board of Governors has had two investigators here to look into some complaints about the school. During their investigation, it was brought to my attention a potential security risk was in your class. At first, it was the rate of akumatizations among you, of which wee needed to find the source." He raised a hand to stop any questions. "While it is true that Mlle. Bourgeois has been an instigator or factor in almost all of your akumatizations, a greater risk is elsewhere. The first hint was the day Mlle. Dupain-Cheng was wrongfully expelled."

"Wrongfully expelled?" Mylene whispered.

The headmaster nodded. "Yes, unfortunately. Evidence had been planted in her backpack and locker, and that push down the stairs had been faked."

"Faked!! Bu-" Rose floundered before M. Damocles again lifted his hand for silence.

"I know this is a lot to take in, but Mlle. Rossi lied about all of it. And considering what just happened in the hallway, there is probably more that she lied about. We, by that I mean the Board of Governors and the Disciplinary Board, are looking into Mlle. Rossi's actions to rule out any crimes." He gestures to the dark-haired woman beside him. "This is Mme. Cho, one of the investigators from the Board. If anyone is willing after your session to speak to her, I would encourage you to do so. Also," a sigh escaped his lips and his shoulders slumped slightly. "Due to the shock this has caused all of you, your class will be excused from classes until after lunch. If you require more time, my office is open to all of you and we will make arrangements. I recommend taking advantage of both Dr. Martín and Dr. Ratagatz's training as therapists to help all of you process this." He did a quarter turn to face both doctors and gave a nod before turning to leave, Mme. Cho hot on his heels. "I will be preparing a message for your parents to update them on what is going on."

Once the door closed, the akuma class slumped into the chairs and couch as the weight of the world suddenly can crashing down on them.

_Lila had lied._

_Marinette had been right._

_Marinette had warned them._

_And they hadn't listened._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now EVERYONE KNOWS! WOOT!
> 
> And no one got akumatized? wow...
> 
> The Next chapter will be up on Thursday. Thank you all for your patience and support. ❤️❤️❤️


	24. What Cannot be Undone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little kitty sings on a roof.
> 
> Dr. Martín gives the Akuma class some advice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I had to revamp Damocles' conversation with Lila and her mom from the last chapter. Please check out the changes as it will impact everything going forward. 
> 
> Thanks a million, TheFrenchMiracular!!
> 
> Also this chapter is a lot shorter than I hoped. I had to scrap things multiple times due to quality, but I hope you'll still enjoy it.

10:15

Marinette laughed heartily as she and Kagami retreated to the locker room after a whirlwind round of dodgeball. "Just… Adrien's face when you pegged him two minutes into the game." She stopped walking to imitate how the blonde had stood there, one arm raised holding an imaginary dodgeball, legs braced, and an expression of exaggerated shock and betrayal. " _ 'Et tu, Brute?' _ " she said in a deepened voice as if to imitate the parodied party, before howling with laughter once more. 

"I did warn him," Kagami cackled, her usually serious expression filled with mirth.

"I've never seen Marcel run like that after he missed you."

"He should have improved his aim before going after me." The blue-eyed ravenette chuckled, stretching her arms over her head, as they walked past an enclosed stairwell. "Though what was hilarious was when Aurore got pegged by…" she trailed off as a sound wafted down those stairs. 

" _Un_ _petit chat sous la pluie, se languit sans sa Lady…"_

_ Little kitty in the rain, languishing without his lady…. _

Marinette froze. An image of a white Chat with crazed blue eyes entering her mind before being replaced by the familiar smiling black Chat with green eyes. She looked up the staircase, but it was too dark to see the top. 

What was Chat doing out in the rain?

"...Marinette?" Kagami touched her shoulder, drawing the girl out of her thoughts. Blue eyes met brown. "Are you alright? You look spooked."

"I thought I heard something." The smaller girl replied. "Oh shoot! I just realized I needed to grab something from the gym. You go ahead, I'll catch up!"

"Are you sure? I can-"

"Positive! I'll meet you in class!" Marinette yelled over her shoulder as she retreated back around the corner they came from.

After a count of sixty, the ravenette peeked around the corner to confirm Kagami had left before making her way to the staircase and quickly ascending, wishing she hadn't left Tikki in her locker. Hoping that Chat's presence didn't mean she had missed an akuma alert.

She hadn't gotten her phone back yet. 

Once she made it to the top she paused to take in the sight before her. Chat Noir sat by the opened door that led to the roof of the school, one knee bent, the other straightened, an arm resting casually on the bent knee. His face was turned away from her, towards the dreary sky, and his belt tail swished beside him. He didn't look hurt...

_ "Un petit chat sur le toit _ …" he sang, his tone light, almost happy.

"Chat?" Marinette called tentatively, taking a cautious step forward. "Are you alright?"

The superhero's tail lifted in surprise and he turned quickly to look, his pupils dilating at the change in light. "Marinette!" He greeted with a smile, getting to his feet while raindrops flew from his golden hair. "What are you doing here, Princesse?"

"I go to school here." She deadpanned, her lip twitching into a half-smile. "And I heard you singing."

"O-oh. Heh." He rubbed the back of his neck, nervousness was evident on his face. "Sorry if I hurt your ears."

Marinette chuckled and shook her head. "Actually, it sounded really nice. But," her face softened, concerned. "Are you alright, Chat?"

"Yes, Princesse. I just… I received word from a source that something was happening here that could potentially lead to an akuma."

The girl blanched and took a step back. "An akuma?"

"Yeah...But I've been watching the sky for the last hour and none have shown up." He smiled. "I'm pretty sure we are in the clear."

Marinette sighed in relief. "What would we do without you, Chat Noir?" 

"Well," the blonde chuckled. "You'd still have Ladybug."

"Who wouldn't be the same without her partner." The ravenette replied, so sure of her statement that Chat couldn't find it in him to argue. 

He opened his mouth just as the warning bell rang. 

Marinette jumped. "Shoot! I- I gotta go!"

"Let me give you a lift! You'll be late because of me." He offered, regret evident in his voice.

"Uh.." she hesitated but only for a second. "O-okay."

Chat swept her quickly into his arms and dashed down the stairs, making it to the locker room in no time. 

"Thank you, Chat," Marinette smiled as he set her down. 

The hero bowed. "It's the least I could do, Princesse." He gave her a two-finger salute. "Have a good day in school." He said as he lept away.

~~~~~

10:30

Dr. Sol Martín looked around her office at the nine students who sat around her. Since the incident in the hall and M. Damocles’ visit, many of them had been quiet. Max Kanté, Lê Chiên Kim, and Nino Lahiffe had been the only ones to speak with her or Dr. Ratagatz so far. 

And that was alright. Everyone appeared to be processing what had happened and would come to them when they were ready.

Suddenly, Juleka Couffaine jolted, lifting her head from atop Rose Lavillant's, and sitting upright. “Oh my gosh…” She said loud enough for everyone to hear. “We never gave Mari the benefit of the doubt! It was always… she’s just jealous…” The purple-tipped-haired girl’s voice progressively weakened as people turned their gaze on her. “Not even me… and she’s dating my brother… I should have known better...”

“She is… well, was our class representative.” Mylene piped up. “Her job was to look out for our better interest. Shouldn’t we have, at least, checked out the claims for ourselves as they came?”

“Or,” Alix added. “At the very least looked a little deeper into the stairs’ incident.”

Everyone paused for a long moment. Nathaniel’s eyes blew wide open.

The redhead uttered a low curse. “That was completely out of character for Mari… and we just brushed that aside. I mean… She was bullied by Chloe for years and never physically fought back. Why would she lash out at a new, seemingly innocuous student?”

“We need to apologize!” Rose jumped up, looking ready to dash out of the room to locate the ravenette. "Right now!"

Dr. Martín held up a hand, silently asking the girl to sit down. “Before doing anything, I want all of you to consider the position that you’ve put Marinette in.” Six pairs of eyes blinked at her, while three others lowered to look at the floor. “From what I can understand, you claimed that all of her actions regarding another classmate were based on jealousy, didn’t attempt to look into her claims to prove if a bias might or might not be present, and then bullied or spread rumors about her. All of that fractures and breaks trust. And you can’t fix trust quickly or easily.”

Rose dropped back into her seat, and everyone looked conflicted.

“As your counselor, I’m going to advise that you do apologize...but I want all of you to go in without the expectation of receiving forgiveness.”

“WHAT!?” Rose, Alix, and Nathaniel cried out in dismay. 

“None of you deserve forgiveness. No one is ever entitled to be forgiven.” The sunkissed woman continued. “Would you forgive your classmates if they had systematically tried to destroy you by brushing off your concerns, bullying you, and spreading rumors?”

“But… But this is Marinette!” Rose insisted. “It’s not in her nature to not forgive.”

“That’s where you are wrong.” A new voice entered the conversation.

The door had opened to reveal Chloé and Sabrina. The latter looked small and sad beside the heiress, who stood straight and tall. Both walked into the room and the redhead took a seat while the blond stood amidst her classmates. 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Nino asked, his expression genuinely confused.

“Because she hasn’t forgiven Adrien.”

That silenced everyone. 

“A-Adrien?” Mylene asked.

“Yes.” The heiress continued. “He woke up from the spell Lila cast earlier last week and apologized immediately for some stupid advice he gave her at the beginning of all of this. She accepted his apology, but couldn’t offer him forgiveness due to the broken trust.”

“And you know this how?” Ivan asked suspiciously.

Chloe looked about ready to lose her temper. “Because Adrien  _ told me _ . Just like he told me that he’s been transferred to another class along with Marinette.”

“Transferred! Why!?” Rose cried.

The heiress crossed her arms. “Unfortunately, I can’t go into detail as it’s related to a legal matter, but there was an incident that led to Adrien’s transfer. Marinette asked to be transferred due to her own personal reasons.”

“Asked to be transferred…” Juleka echoed, receiving a nod.

Alix leaned her elbows on her knees and covered her face with her hands. “Oh my gosh… Adrien’s arm! Lila really did do that to him?” 

Chloe, unfortunately, couldn’t confirm that, but the class did infer that very quickly.

The silence was deafening. 

“We lost them…” Juleka flinched as her voice broke the silence. “Because of everything Lila said… w-we lost them!”

~~~~~

12:00

The sky cleared and the sun broke through the thinning clouds as the lunch bell rang. Marinette found herself smiling out towards the window of the Mme. Mendeviev’s classroom as she packed her backpack. 

After confirming she had everything, she turned to find Adrien and Kagami waiting for her by the door. With a tiny skip in her step, she waltzed over to her friend and the blonde who she still wasn’t sure exactly what they were. Acquaintances was too flimsy, and friends was too strong considering the trust issue.

Complicated probably made more sense. 

On friendly terms also made sense. 

Part of her hoped that maybe in the future they could be friends again. That she could forgive him and trust him again.

But only time would tell.

Shaking those thoughts away, Marinette walked with the pair. Once they made it to the main steps, she asked the question that had been pressing on her tongue for the last half hour. “Would both of you like to come to the bakery for lunch? It would be nice to have the company.”

Kagami immediately agreed, smiling. “Of course! I’d love to!”

Adrien took a bit longer, pulling out his phone and texting his bodyguard. “I can now,” He said with a smile and gestured for the ravenette to lead the way. “Thank you, Marinette.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 24 chapters down, 1 more to go.


	25. Raise a Glass to New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone apologizes, with varying degrees of response.
> 
> Adrien realizes he's an idiot.
> 
> And Lila... gets some petty justice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter is DELICIOUSLY LONG.
> 
> A huge shout out to TheManaicalMadman for the idea at the end of this chapter. You rock!
> 
> Alright, so i finally saw just how glum the last chapter was on the fifth read. Sorry about that, guys. I'm trying as hard as I can.
> 
> Hopefully, by the end of this, you'll have some levity.
> 
> Also, Someone Gets Hurt (Reprised 2) was the inspiration for a good chunck of this. Enjoy.

12:05

The warm smells of Tom and Sabine’s Boulangerie Patisserie filled Adrien with warmth and his stomach growled, eliciting a laugh from his female companions. He shrugged, cheeks tinting pink, but held the door open for them as they entered. Once inside, Sabine greeted the trio from behind the counter.

“Good afternoon, kids.” The shorter ravenette asked, a bright smile on her lips. “How was school?”

Marinette, looking happier than she had looked in days, chatted with her mother, while Kagami added things here and there. Adrien hung back, Plagg pulling at his shirt to get his attention. 

“See if they have any cheese!” The kwami of destruction ordered quietly, causing his Chosen to roll his eyes fondly before looking at the pastry case.

“How does a cheese danish sound? It looks like they used pretty gooey cheese for it. If it’s not camembert, it probably is brie.”

“Sold. Get me three _._ ”

The blonde let out a low chuckle as he pulled out his wallet. As he approached the counter, he noticed Tom had made pain au chocolat, and he couldn’t help the smile that broke out. Maybe he should stop by later as Chat…

“Marinette!” A voice boomed throughout the shop. 

“Oh, that’s right,” Sabine told her daughter. “You have a visitor, Marinette.”

Jagged Stone rushed over to the girl dressed in red and swung her around in a whirlwind hug. “It’s so good to see you! How’s my favorite honorary niece?”

“It-It’s good to see you too, Uncle Jagged.” Marinette’s voice sounded strained as the man held her tight. “Finding it...hard...to...breath…”

“You might want to put her down, Jagged,” Another voice cut in and Adrien saw Penny and Fang walk over. Fang spotted the blonde and began panting like a dog and wagging his tail. “Before the poor girl passes out.”

“Oh!” The rockstar put the girl down, sheepish. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s alright,” the ravenette reassured, giving him a smile, that slowly began to fade. “And...I could be better, honestly.”

The purple-haired man blinked and carefully ushered Marinette over to a table. “Sabine, I’m going to talk to your daughter for a bit, if that’s alright.”

“As long as she’s okay with it, Jagged!” The woman called after him.

A hand tapped Adrien’s arm, and he turned to look. Kagami starred after the rockstar and the designer.

“She KNOWS Jagged Stone and is his honorary Niece!?” the fencer asked in a fierce whisper. “Why didn’t you or Bourgeois mention this!? _”_

“Technically, everyone from my old class has met Jagged Stone on a couple of occasions.” As he said that, Adrien’s hand flew up and slapped him in the face. “Oh my gosh. My old class is full of idiots…”

“Welcome to how the rest of the school, besides Mme. Bustier and M. Damocles anyway, think about the ‘Akuma Class’.” Kagami said with a shake of her head. “When I first heard the things about your class, I thought my classmates were joking. Then Friendship Day happened and I… well, let’s just say even before all of this I had very little fondness for Cesaire or the others.”

Adrien nodded in understanding, and shook his head sadly, before changing the subject. “Would you like anything?” he gestured to the display case.

Kagami looked the goods over for a moment before spotting something. “I was thinking about getting some macarons. They were delightful at Mayor and Mme. Bourgeois’ vow renewal.”

The blonde smiled and walked up to the counter.

“What can I get you, dear?” Sabine asked kindly. 

“Could I get three of your cheese danishes, a couple of pain au chocolat, and six of your macaroons, please Mme. Cheng?” Adrien requested, careful to not give her a Chat grin.

“Of course, Adrien.” The woman replied, gathering the goods. “And as I’ve told you before, you can call me Sabine, dear.”

“Sorry, Mm- Sabine.” The teen replied, rubbing the back of his neck. “Old habits die hard.”

Sabine smiled and handed him the bag of goodies, refusing to take the money he held up. “Today, it’s on the house.” 

He blinked. “A-are you sure?”

The dark-haired woman nodded. “A little birdy told me that things have been going on at Françoise Dupont and that the two of you have been involved in them. So this is my thanks, for helping my daughter.”

_A little birdy?_

“Oh,” he replied. “Thank you, Sabine.”

“You’re welcome. Enjoy.”

~~~~~

Group Chat: Team Expose Rossi

Adrien: _Apparently a little birdy told Mme. Cheng what we've been up to._

Chloé: _really?_

Max: _it wasn't I_

Kim: _ditto, Mme. Sabine hasn't been very happy with me of late._

Luka: _oh. That was me. I couldn't hide that from my girlfriend's mom, you know._

Adrien: _I'm not complaining. It's just weird being paid back with baked goods._

Adrien: Pastry.jpg

Kagami: _Tom and Sabine's macarons are to die for. I've already eaten three._

Luka: _Did Tom make napoleon today?_

Adrien: _There are only 4 left. Want me to save one for you?_

Luka: _Please! I’m on my way_.

~~~~~

Adrien was turning away from the counter when he heard the door chime as someone walked in. He looked up, expecting Luka… and came face to face with Nino, Max, Kim, and Ivan.

The four former classmates looked around before cautiously approaching the counter, though Nino caught Adrien’s eye and looked towards an empty table.

_Can we talk? Over there?_

The blonde paused for a moment, weighing the decision before him, before nodding. He brought the napoleon over to the table he shared with Kagami and Marinette. The two chatted happily about whatever topic they had moved to while he had stepped away, but they paused when he continued to stand. “This is for Luka. He’s on his way,” Adrien smiled at Marinette, but he was sure Kagami could see the stiffness in his stance. “I’ll be back in a bit. Someone wanted to talk to me.”  
  
“Oh. Okay.” Marinette replied with a smile, while Kagami nodded in agreement. “We’ll keep your seat warm.” 

“Thanks,” The model replied and walked towards the table that Nino had indicated. As he crossed in front of the counter, he noticed that Sabine’s smile had lost most of its warmth when the four teens had entered her establishment, and he had no doubt that Tom had been informed about their arrival. She lifted an eyebrow at him and he replied with a shrug before continuing.

When he arrived at the table, he stood by the empty chair for a moment before sitting in it and crossing his arms. He looked around at each of them before addressing them. “What’s up?”

The four looked at each other, specifically Max, Kim, and Ivan looked at Nino before anyone replied.

“Well,” Nino started, gesturing to the four. “The four of us were wondering if… If we could talk to Marinette. To apologize.”

Adrien lifted an eyebrow at that. “And are you asking me for… permission? Why?”

“Because no one has been able to approach her without going through you or Kagami.”

“Or Luka. And I’m the least dangerous to your person of the two of us that go to Françoise Dupont?” He had to swallow back a chuckle and felt Plagg wiggle with mirth in his shirt pocket. If only they knew… Instead, he cleared his throat before standing. “Flattering as that is, the decision rests with Marinette. I can ask her if she wants to talk to the four of you, but don’t be surprised if she says no.”

“It can’t hurt to try,” Ivan said softly.

Adrien walked back to the other table, taking a few deep breaths. He didn’t know what had gone down with the class, save that somehow Lila had been exposed. But this might be the start of an avalanche of apologies from their old class. Hopefully, Kagami, Luka, and he could keep the weight of it all from crushing Marinette in the process. 

If she chose to forgive, that would be great.

But if she couldn’t, he hoped that their classmates would be mature enough to just accept that.

Marinette looked up as he approached and her smile weakened at his facial expression. He wasn’t quite sure what kind of face he made, but it must have been concerning enough. “What is it, Adrien?” She asked, concern drenching her voice.

The model cleared his throat. “Some of our old classmates are here, and they want to talk to you, Marinette. If you are okay with that.” He moved a bit so she could catch sight of who he was talking about. 

Her blue eyes widened. “W-What do they want to talk about?”

“They want to apologize to you.”

“Apologize!” Her voice squeaked in surprise.

Adrien nodded. 

The ravenette fiddled with her ear for a moment before looking at both of her companions. “Okay. But can you come with me, Adrien?”

Warmth bloomed in his chest at the request. “Of course,” he snapped his mouth shut before he could say _Princesse_.

She stood carefully from her chair and lifted her chin, much to Kagami’s approval, and lead Adrien in a march towards the other table.

~~~~~

About three feet from the boys’ table, Marinette almost faltered as four pairs of eyes locked on her. None of the looks were malicious, but she couldn’t help the pit of anxiety that grew in her stomach. With everything that had happened in the last few months…

It was right for her to be a bit cautious, right?

Maybe a touch frightened?

She felt a small pressure at her hip, where Tikki sat in her purse. Reassurance that she wasn’t alone. And with Adrien and Kagami at her back and her parents not too far behind, she’d be safe if things went south.

Marinette took a deep breath and stood before four of her former classmates. “Hi.” She greeted simply, wincing at the waver in her voice.

“Hi Marinette,” Nino greeted. “We… I’m so sorry, Mari. I’ve been a really crummy friend and didn’t come to your defense when I should have.”

“I’m sorry, too,” Kim added. “We’ve known each other since we were babies and yet I allowed some very ugly rumor’s to influence my behavior towards you. I never should have bullied you.” He lowered his eyes. “And I’m so sorry.”

Before Marinette could reply, Max spoke up. “You tried to warn us about the lies, Marinette, especially when pointing out the inconsistencies regarding the napkin incident and I didn’t listen to you. And you were right. I’m very sorry. I should have looked into things sooner and come to your defense, and I didn’t.”

Ivan was the last to speak, the gentle giant looking at her with the saddest eyes Marinette had ever seen. “I’m sorry, Marinette. You… you came to my defense after Stoneheart and… and when your back was against the wall because of all the things Lila was saying and the whole class was doing… I just followed along when I should have jumped to your side as you had for me. I had forgotten your kindness in your moment of need… and I’m so very sorry.” Tears were filling the teen’s eyes.

The ravenette swallowed thickly as the weight of their apologies hit her. Just like when Adrien had apologized, her heart ached, but the pain was dulled in comparison. “I… I accept your apologies.” She replied with a faint smile. “But… I just can’t offer you all true forgiveness yet. It still hurts, and I’m going to need time.”

“And that’s fine!” Kim reassured, his eyes desperate for her to understand. “We all understand. And we’ll do whatever we can to be worthy of that forgiveness.”

Nino, Ivan, and Max all nodded in agreement. 

Marinette sniffled a bit but tried to smile more, nodding and biting her lip. “Alright. Thank you.” She looked behind her, and Adrien was at her side in a moment. She turned to address the four at the table before turning away. “E-enjoy those pastries. My papa worked hard on them.”

“We will,” Max called out as she walked away, all of them waving farewell. “Thank you, Marinette.”

The ravenette made it back to Kagami’s side before she let the quiet tears fall. 

Not too long after, the shop door opened and Luka rushed over to his girlfriend. He pulled her into a hug. “Marinette! I’ve missed you!” He greeted gently before pulling away slightly to look at her. His eyes softened as he saw the puffiness in her eyes and tear tracks on her face. “What is it, Melody?” He asked as he brushed away the tears.

She sniffed slightly. “S-some of my classmates came to apologize.”

“Really?” The blue eyes widened and he looked at Kagami and Adrien, before looking back at the ravenette in his arms. “Are you alright?”

She nodded, a faint smile on her trembling lips. “Yeah. I… I accepted their apologies. Maybe in time, I can forgive them, but for now… their apologies can help me heal.”

He pulled her again into a hug and beckoned Kagami and Adrien to join. “And we’ll be right here to help you.”

The group hug felt wonderful to the ravenette as she nuzzled into her boyfriend’s arms.

~~~~~

13:00

With an hour left to lunch and with not much to do, Luka suggested that the four of them go for a walk in the park nearby until it was time for the younger three to go back to class. Marinette had agreed, but only if she could bring her sketchbook while Kagami and Adrien had agreed immediately as it would be good to get some fresh air.

Shortly after they arrived, Marinette headed over to the water fountain and sat down on one of the benches, pulling out her pencil and looking around for inspiration. Luka sat at her feet with his guitar and began to pluck at the strings. Kagami sat a respectful distance from Marinette but looked at the sketchbook when the blue-eyed girl adjusted so she could watch her work. Finally, Adrien mirrored Luka, leaning his head against the seat of the bench and watching the white, fluffy clouds pass, soaking in the warmth of the sun and the companionship of his friends.

Time passed quietly as the four settled into a comfortable rhythm. 

Only for the quiet to be interrupted by a soft voice.

“Marinette?”

The four paused and looked up to see Rose, Juleka, Mylene, and Alix standing before them. 

“M-Marinette,” Mylene repeated. “Can we talk with you for a minute?”

Luka gripped his guitar a tad tighter while Adrien and Kagami stiffened, but looked at Marinette before deciding on what to do regarding this.

The ravenette in question swallowed thickly and closed her sketchbook. “A-alright.” She passed the sketchbook to Kagami before standing and carefully walking between Luka and Adrien towards the girls. "What's up?" She asked, her voice unsure.

The four teens looked at each other before turning to Marinette and speaking all at once. 

"I'm so sorry!" They cried in unison before devolving into their apologies.

"You really weren't jealous like we thought and were only trying to warn us. And I never should have turned on you because of your skepticism over Lila." Alix started.

“You’ve always had our best interest in the past and I just got so blind-sighted by Lila’s stories that I didn’t think to take what you were saying into consideration,” Juleka added.

“And when things got more and more extravagant, I just got pulled along for the ride and didn’t see how I was hurting you in the process.” Mylene frantically gushed.

“No excuse to could take away what I did to you and I’m just,” Rose cried.

“So very sorry, Marinette.” They finished. 

The ravenette looked at each of them, her face growing colder and colder as her fists clenched at her sides. “I… ugh!” She growled at them. “Do any of you understand just how deeply you hurt me? Lila is one thing but your toxic behavior goes deeper than that!” She shoved a finger in the air between them. “Each of you pounced on my insecurities and kindhearted nature the moment I let you all in. For years you never lifted a finger to defend me or yourselves from Chloé, not until Alya showed up. For years, you took advantage of my generosity with free snacks and gifts. For years, I thought we were friends!” Marinette shouted, before lowering her hand and her voice. “And then Lila came along, with her shiny tales and promises, and you dropped me like dead weight. Like our years of so-called friendship meant nothing. Do any of you understand just how much that hurts? To be rejected by your friends?”

The four girls stared at her in shock and horror. As if they had never considered that.

Because they hadn’t. Not until this moment.

“And now your ‘Friend’ has screwed you over, you’ve come crawling back to me. Well, I’ve got news for you. At least Lila never pretended to be my friend.” Marinette crossed her arms, looking smaller and smaller as she spoke. “And for that… I can’t forgive you, any of you. Not right now. Maybe in the future,” She rubbed her chest above her sternum. “When it doesn’t hurt so much anymore.”

Rose opened her mouth, reaching for Marinette. The ravenette flinched away, taking a few steps back towards Luka, who had gotten to his feet and wrapped his arms around her. 

“I think you girls should leave now,” the blue-haired teen advised. He looked pointedly at his sister, nodding towards the pixie blonde. 

Mylene gave Marinette a mournful look, but turned and walked away, her shoulders slumping in defeat. Alix followed, sparing glances back at the ravenette with tears in her eyes. Juleka pulled a protesting Rose away.

“But Mari… please.”

Luka pulled his girlfriend closer and walked her towards the bench beside Kagami. 

Once the girl sat, bitter sobs tore through her. 

And she mourned those friendships that she thought meant the world to her classmates. Friendships that may never have truly been friendships.

Not when it truly mattered.

~~~~~

14:00

Chloé: _Did something happen at lunch?_

Chloé: _The class is full of zombies. Everyone is in some level of distress._

Chloé: _What did I miss, Adrien?_

Adrien: _Everyone came to apologize to Marinette. It didn’t go very well for the girls._

Chloé: _Really?_

Chloé: _Well, they were the most ridiculous of those in our class. They were Marinette’s friends after all._

Adrien: _I’ve never seen Marinette so justifiably angry._

Adrien: _It was terrifying._

Chloé: _I’ll bet. If there is one akumasoma I hope we never see, it’s Marinette._

Adrien: _Agreed_.

~~(Unsent) Adrien: I’ll do everything I can to make sure that doesn’t happen.~~

Adrien: _How was your lunch?_

Chloé: _Relatively unremarkable._

Chloé: _Hey, Adrien. Do you think you could ask Marinette if Sabrina and I could talk to her after school?_

Adrien: _Sure._

Chloé: _Thanks_

Adrien: _She wants to meet you on the steps after school if that’s alright._

Chloé: _It’s perfect._

~~~~~

16:05

Chloé readjusted her jacket for the hundredth time as she and Sabrina waited at the base of the steps outside of Françoise Dupont. They had rushed out of class before the final bell had finished ringing, not too concerned about grabbing things from their lockers. 

Marinette was a priority. Everything else could wait. 

Seconds after that thought crossed Chloé's mind, the girl in question appeared at the top of the stairs, flanked by Kagami and Adrien. As she descended, Marinette smiled warmly at the two girls below.

The heiress felt unworthy. This Marinette that offered her such a smile but had refused it to those she had called friends was a different person...

Until the ravenette tripped and ruined the illusion. 

As Adrien and Kagami steadied Marinette, Chloé was uncomfortably reminded of how many times she would burst into ruthless laughter when this would happen in the past. Shame coated her cheeks as she cursed her old self.

But it was a new day, and maybe after everything was said and done, maybe Marinette would give her a second chance. She didn't deserve it, and wouldn't ask for it, but even if it was denied to her, she would do everything in her power to be a better person.

A person that _Marinette_ could be proud of.

"Hi Sabrina, Chloé," the ravenette greeted when she was closer. Kagami and Adrien had walked a ways away. Close enough to intervene if necessary, but far enough to give them privacy. "Were you waiting long? I came as quick as I could."

"No worries, Marinette!" Sabrina chipperly replied. "We've only been here for a few minutes."

"Oh." She fiddled with the strap of her backpack. "So, what did you want to talk about."

The redhead and the blonde shared a look before the former gestured to the lowest step. She and the ravenette sat down, looked at each other in the eye, and the bespectacled girl promptly crumpled.

"I'm so sorry, Marinette," she whispered, regret drenching her voice. "I'm sorry for everything I've put you through over the years. From all the teasing, bullying, theft of your belongings, sabotage, every rumor, or taunt, or threat. You've only shown me kindness or, at the least, you've been neutral to me. And I've always been so mean and… and…" 

The apology devolved into sobs, but her green eyes never left Marinette's face, hoping to convey how truly sorry she was. That this apology was real and she meant every floundering word-

Marinette wrapped the redhead in a tight hug, pulling the girl as close to her as she could. "Thank you so much, Sabrina. Your apology means the world."

Sabrina hiccuped in surprise. And hugged back.

They sat like that for a long moment before Marinette pulled away. "And I forgive you."

"W-What?"

"Sabrina, for all these years, you were a servant to one master or another. First, it was Chloé you did the bidding of and then Lila. You were their minion, and while you should have said no, you didn't want them to leave you." She pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to the crying girl. "That malice never originated in you. It was from them and you were a tool to enact it. And, I forgive you for it all. Because this shows me that you want to do better. And I want you to start over. A clean slate, fresh page."

Green met blue. Green watery, but hopefully and blue clear but filled with forgiveness.

Sabrina wrapped her arms around the crimson-clad girl and hugged her tight. "Thank you, Marinette. I… I'd really like to start over. And… and maybe this time you could show me what real friendship is like?"

"I'd be happy to." Marinette smiled and hugged the girl back. 

They stayed like that for a few moments while a blonde heiress shifted unnoticed several feet away. 

Chloé was fiddling with her jacket once more, going over for the millionth time what she wanted to say to Marinette as the two girls pulled away and smiled at each other. Sabrina gently motioned the ravenette towards the heiress after reassuring her that she'd be fine in a minute.

Marinette's blue eyes locked on Chloé and she walked closer. "Chloé -"

The blonde held up a finger. "Can… do you mind if I speak for a minute? No interruptions? I just… I need to get this out."

"Okay," the ravenette replied, tilting her head slightly before nodding. "What do you need to say?"

The heiress opened her mouth, closed it again, and tried once more before her shoulders slumped. "Back when we were in maternelle, a little girl with pigtails offered to be my friend on the first day of school. She was bright and happy and had everything I wanted. A happy mother, a doting father, a content life. And… and it made me mad that this girl had what I lacked. 

"At the time I didn't understand that I was acting out of jealousy, but I pushed this girl away, physically as well as emotionally. Declaring her from that day forward as my enemy, my nemesis. No matter how many tears I caused by my taunts, bullying, or tantrums, this girl would still offer me kindness.

"Until collége, when I got meaner and started destroying property, stealing her belongings, and tripping her every chance I could. The kindness morphed into contempt. And I was fine with letting that fester because it was something someone felt for me when at home everything was empty 

"Then these new girls came along, and everything changed. First, the fiery girl from Martinique, who encouraged this rival of mine to fight back and to do things she hadn't before. Then there was this spotted hero who decided to give me a chance at being a hero… even when I didn't deserve it.

"And lastly, there was the brunette Italian, who with malice not even I had, systematically tore down this girl from maternelle. She did everything in her power to ruin her, crossing lines that I didn't know I could have and never wanted to."

Chloé rubbed the center of her chest before continuing. "I witnessed one of these and was horrified by how ruthless the Italian was. I knew she was a liar, it was very obvious, but I didn't do much about it because I didn't care enough. But after seeing what she did to her, to you, Marinette, I couldn't stand by anymore. I.. I _had_ to do something.

"So, I recruited some of our classmates and exposed the witch for who she is. And, strangely, it worked, but not in the way I'd hoped. I'd hoped for a big explosion, for it all to be extremely public, that justice for you would be ruthless and destructive. But it wasn't. Lila is being investigated by the school in a way that is by the book, our classmates know she was a liar and fostering an environment conducive to creating akumas, Mme. Bustier is gone, and M. Damocles is likely on his way out too. 

"But… I did it all for you. I helped tear down the kingdom of lies, not knowing that the price would be the loss of your warmth in our class. I wanted to help you and… and to atone for all of those things I've done to you, even up until a few months ago. I… I have no excuse for my behavior, Marinette, nor do I deserve any forgiveness. I was a bully, and for everything, I am truly and completely sorry."

Her light blue eyes stung as she looked Marinette in the face. The ravenette stood there, her mouth slightly open, eyes wide.

But only for a moment. 

Marinette quickly crossed the distance between the two of them and pulled her into a fierce hug. "I forgive you." She said, her voice clear, but shaky. She swallowed thickly. "A thousand times over. Everything. I forgive everything."

Chloé stood there in shock, her limbs stiff, her eyes wide as she tried to comprehend what Marinette said. "Y-you forgive me?"

Marinette pulled away and out of reach before nodding. "Yes. Yes, I do."

"B-but… but your friends, you didn't…"

"My friends," the ravenette replied, her voice hardening at the word. "Didn't come to my aid when I needed them most." Her voice softened. "But you did. Even when you didn't have to. But that's not why I forgive you. I forgive you because I don't want this hurt between us anymore. I don't want to fight with you. So," she held out a hand. "Can we start over?"

Chloé stared at the hand, then back at the girl, and back again before grasping the offered hand. "Absolutely."

~~~~~

M. Damocles rested the phone back in its cradle. He had made several phone calls and had successfully been able to reach everyone on his list. 

He prepared the files and paperwork, which lay stacked nearly on his desk. 

He had contacted each member of the disciplinary board, summoning them to his office, where they would be read into Lila Rossi's file and be obliged to secrecy. 

They would only meet again when the proceedings would begin.

A clear knock came at the door and the bearded man rose. It was time to read in The Board.

~~~~~

Adrien smiled over at the three girls now chatting happily. It was good to see Marinette happy, Chloé relaxed, and Sabrina not so wound up. 

It was good.

"Hey, guys," a voice cut in as a bike stopped beside him and Kagami. "What did I miss?"

Kagami gestured towards the three girls. "Sabrina, Chloé, and Marinette have made up with each other and I think they are friends now."

"Really?" Luka asked, moving his bike so it was out of pedestrian and vehicular traffic and taking off his helmet. "I never thought I'd see the day."

"Me neither," Adrien added, his eyes never moving from the ravenette. "Hopefully it'll be good for all three of them."

The fencer and guitarist nodded. And there was a comfortable silence. 

Kagami glanced over towards Adrien several times before tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"You know, Adrien," she said carefully, drawing his attention and his eyes to her. "Why didn't you choose her when you had the chance?"

Luka had turned, keeping one eye on his girlfriend, but his expression was curious as he met Adrien's gaze. "I'm curious too."

The blonde floundered. "What do you mean?" His eyes looking between the two beside him. 

"Well, it's clear you like Marinette." Kagami continued. "You have this… softness in your expression when you talk to or about her. Not to mention the fierceness you had in protecting her or her belongings since I've known you. When you mentioned that someone kept rejecting you, I thought it was her. And then I met Marinette...and well."

"No…. No, she's not the one I was talking about."

Both teens raised eyebrows at that. 

"Seriously?" The guitarist asked. "It's just… I thought you were the one she was pursuing before she gave me a chance."

"What?" Adrien felt his brain short circuit. "B… but she always…"

Luka shook his head with a small laugh. "Really, Adrien. She has the same look towards you, even when you aren't looking. And she cares very fiercely about you. When she found out what Lila had done, she almost punched her teeth out. Chloé had to persuade her to go make sure you were okay. You… you mean a lot to her, Adrien."

Kagami nodded.

The blonde looked back and forth between the two before slapping his head. "I'm such an idiot."

Luka and Kagami laughed at that and Adrien blushed. He turned back towards Marinette and saw her waving goodbye to Chloé and Sabrina, who were climbing into the former's limo. 

A slight pressure on his chest from Plagg reminded him that he still needed to give her the phone. Reaching into his bag he pulled it out. "I gotta go." He said quickly and ran over to the ravenette.

Luka and Kagami gave each other a look and a fist bump. 

"Ten euros says he gives her the phone and an apology."

"You're on."

~~~~~

Marinette took a deep breath and wiped her face as Chloé and Sabrina pulled away. It was good to clear the air with the two and she was happy they were both so genuine about their apologies. 

It made her forgiveness sweeter. 

"Marinette!" A voice cried out and she turned to see Adrien rushing towards her. 

"Hey, Adrien." She greeted him with a smile. "What's up?"

He paused before her, an arm reaching up towards his neck before stopping and dropping to his side. "I… ugh." He stumbled for a moment, before taking a deep breath and straightened. "I wanted to talk to you before you went home."

"Oh… okay."

There was an awkward pause between the two before Adrien spoke. 

"I… I wanted to apologize." He began and shook a hand between them when she frowned and opened her mouth to speak. "Not-not in regards to Lila again, just… I didn't realize I had never considered your feelings when I asked you to help me with Kagami."

The blue eyes widened significantly and a pink blush tinted her cheeks. "Uhh."

"I…" he continued. "I'm… I didn't see how uncomfortable you were when I asked or even at the rink and every other time the three of us were together. I just assumed that it was okay and that wasn't kind to you. And… and for that I'm sorry. I should have paid more attention. You are someone I care about, Marinette. And I should have been more considerate of you. From now on I will do my best to be better."

Marinette blinked at him, her brain not completely processing what he meant, but getting enough of it from his facial expression. He looked embarrassed and sheepish, but he also looked genuine. And his voice was genuine too. He never intended to hurt her, to disregard feelings that he didn't know she had for him or even the friendship they had. 

He had truly been oblivious.

"Oh…" she replied lamely. "Well, um… thank you for apologizing. And… and I forgive you. You… you didn't know, and I did keep telling you I was fine, so… yeah."

"Thank you," Adrien gushed, his shoulders slumping a bit as another awkward silence descended between the two. But he quickly broke it. "Oh shoot! Before I forget for the tenth time. Here." He held out a pair of objects between them. "Chat Noir was insistent I deliver these to you this morning, but… with everything that happened today I got… distracted. I'm sorry."

Marinette had a startling feeling of déja vû as she looked at the phone and handkerchief in his hand. The handkerchief she had made for her partner and what she could only assume was the new phone he had gotten her to replace the one he broke.

Silly kitty. He didn't have to do that!

But he had. 

With a slight smile, the ravenette took the offered items. "Thank you, Adrien." She smiled at her comrade. "And don't worry about the delay. It was kinda nice not having to worry about people texting or calling me all day."

The blonde chuckled. "You're welcome."

Right before another awkward silence could descend, a dark vehicle pulled up and honked once. Adrien turned to look at his driver before looking back at Marinette. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

She nodded with a smile. "Of course. Have a good evening, Adrien."

"You too, Mari!"

As she looked down at the handkerchief in her hand, Marinette wondered. _Maybe... just maybe... I can forgive him for everything, too._

~~~~~

22:00

The Rossi residence was quiet when Lila woke from her slumber. Stretching, she looked at her alarm clock and groaned. Her parched lips cracked and she sat up.

She needed water.

And maybe some pain killer to help with the headache this whole week had been.

Turning, she dangled her feet over the edge of her bed before sliding down carefully to the wood floor. A shiver ran up her spine as the cool temperature of the floor hit her blanket warmed toes. Vowing to quickly return to her bed, she took a step…

And was met with an indescribable pain as she stepped on something. 

Yelping, she tried to put her foot down in another place, only to step again on something. And again. And again. 

Now fully awake, she hopped back on her bed and flicked on her lamp, her eyes widening in horror as she looked around her room.

Her bedroom floor was strategically covered in 2x4 Lego blocks. 

Every route from her bed was blocked (pun intended), keeping her either trapped in her bed or forced to walk on some. 

She didn't know how this happened or why… but all she could do was scream.

~~~~~

A scream echoed over Paris and a blonde model fist-bumped the kwami of destruction before handing him the thirteenth wheel of Camembert.

No one messes with Mullo's Mice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And That's not all folks! I am currently working on an Epilogue. It will be out either later today or tomorrow (Monday at the latest). 
> 
> I have no idea when the sequel will be ready. Likely not until August or September, but as soon as I'm pleased with it, I'll get it out. If you are interested, please subscribe to IRBM series so you get notified when part 2 goes live.
> 
> Thank you so much for all of your support and patience with me through this. I appreciate every single one of you.  
> ~Rachel


	26. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alya and Nora talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! The Epilogue.
> 
> I'm so sorry it took me so long to get it out and that it's short.
> 
> Hopefully, I've set things up well for the sequel.

With no technology at her fingertips, Alya felt as though she was missing a limb.

No phone. No computer. No internet save for school-related assignments.

For the rest of the school year.

How was she supposed to run her blog? How was she supposed to help Ladybug unmask Papillon? 

How was she supposed to make sure this wasn't some nightmare or prank on her?

_Lila lied…_

She had been so convincing. So charismatic. So alluring… and she fell for it.

She, Alya Cesaire, temporary wielder of Trixx, the Kwami of illusion, had fallen for an illusion.

And fallen hard.

The auburn-haired girl lay curled up on her bed, her stomach aching but she wasn't hungry. After this morning, she had felt so sick that her mom had taken her to the doctor to confirm she didn't have a virus or something. She had been given a clean bill of health but had been urged to take it easy for the rest of the day with the shock and stress to her psyche. 

Another reason for her to stay away from technology, in her mother's opinion.

Her fingers itched to type-

A soft knock at her door interrupted her thoughts. 

"Not hungry." She called, thinking it was her mom again with food.

"Sis," Nora's voice came through the door. "It's me. We need to talk."

_Talk about what?_ The younger sister thought, but called out. "Okay

Come in."

The eldest Cesaire daughter opened the door and walked in, mindful of her shoulders, and met her younger sister's gaze. She strolled over and gestured towards Alya's desk chair. "May I sit?"

Alya shrugged. "I don't see why not." When the elder was situated, she continued. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

Nora took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she inhaled and opening them as she exhaled, locking eyes with her sister. "About your behavior th-"

"Oh great. Another lecture." The smaller teen cried in exasperation, burying her face in her knees. "Manman and Papa already gave me two each and now you? What else could you possibly add to what I know? More about how I screwed up? About how I've destroyed my future? About how no one will ever take me seriously again? Because, really Nora, I've been pondering it all day long and I get it. I understand what I did! I don't need to hear it from _you_!"

"Well," Nora began after a beat. "Are you sorry for what you did?"

Alya slowly lifted her head. "Pardon?"

"Are you sorry that you cyberbullied Marinette? That you took advantage of her kindness for months? That you threw away a friendship that was genuine on her side all for the sake of some sweet siren song?"

"Should I be?" The younger replied with an eye roll. "How do you know it was genuine? And I was unwittingly duped, Nora. I can't be at fault, right?"

"Really?" Nora lifted an eyebrow, her expression filled with exasperation, but she kept her composure. "Have you forgotten I've met Marinette on multiple occasions? Both with and without you present? Every time I've talked with her, she is the same, genuine, generous, loving person. Every time. There was no crack of any kind of mask. I would have spotted them and exploited them quickly."

The younger Cesaire rolled her eyes. "Sure you would have." 

"I didn't hesitate to do that with your boyfriend. Why would I hesitate to do it with someone you considered a friend?"

That stopped Alya's train of thought. She opened her mouth and shut it with an audible click. Crossing her arms, she thinned her lips but didn't answer her sister.

"And you really believe you aren't at fault for the stupidity you pulled?" The elder sister continued. "What? Was Lila here and holding a gun to your head, forcing you to type out those messages? Did she have a knife to your back? Did she order you to-"

"NO!" Alya screamed, rage filling her voice and face. Her honey-colored eyes blazing, but not with tears. No remorse. Only hatred. "No, she didn't."

"Then," Nora continued her tone barely under control. "Why aren't you taking responsibility for your actions? Duped as you may have been, your actions are still your own. And let me tell you what your actions have cost this family so far and will cost us in the long run!"

The younger teen ground her teeth. 

"Imagine if this gets back to Manman's boss? The negative press could pressure them to _fire_ her or at the very review her contract. She works at the Paris Grand Hotel, for crying out loud! Reputation is everything there. And the same could happen to Papa. And do you know what that means? It means no money for food, electricity, phone, water, or the apartment. Because Manman is the breadwinner for a house of six.

"Imagine, then, that the twins aren't able to get into a good school because of their last name. Or they get bullied and harassed because their big sister ran the Ladyblog and decided to publically cyberbully another teen and put another one on Papillon's hit list, even if she was a liar?"

Alya's eyes bugged at that and her grip on her arms eased. 

"Well, I have news for you. You don't have to imagine how things have affected Manman's job. She received a warning this afternoon after she brought you home. She's not fired, but the hotel has already received complaints."

" _W_ _hat?! No!_ " Alya cried. 

Nora shook her head. "It's true. And," the elder stood. "And she wants to talk to you about it and everything else going on. With a lawyer. Marinette's parents have filed a suit against you, because of what you did. So I ask again, are you going to take responsibility for _your_ actions?"

The auburn-haired girl stared at her sister, her honey eyes wide as the world spun around her. 

_Responsibility for your actions…_

_"Alya Cesaire…"_

She took a deep breath and stood.

_"This is the Miraculous of the Fox…"_

A nod passed between the sisters and the elder led the younger to the door.

_"Which grants the user the power of illusion…"_

With every step, Alya felt the weight of her actions press down on her. 

_"You will use it for the greater good…"_

She had taken on great power and responsibility when she launched her blog, more than she ever thought she would.

_"Once the job is done, you will return the Miraculous to me…"_

And now she was paying for it. Now she realized just how powerful she was behind the screen. 

And how dangerous she could be.

With strokes on a keyboard, she had signed her fate. And now she was dragging those she cared about most down with her. 

_"Can I trust you?"_

She had to make this right. She had to be better. 

_"Of course you can, Ladybug."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: thank you to Wilddogg88 for giving me the idea regarding Nora and Alya's conversation. You are the real MVP, Wilddogg!
> 
> Note: the sequel will likely not be out until September at the earliest. I have a lot of things to do for it and with the school year coming up, things may get dicey. 
> 
> Anyway, please subscribe to the IRBM universe series if you are interested in getting a notification when the next part goes live.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has been here from the beginning and all of you who have read I'd Rather Be Me, to everyone who has commented, offered constructive criticism, advice, information, and support. I appreciate every single one of you! 
> 
> Thanks especially to LadyKae, AliceKat, TheManiacalMadman, TheFrenchMiracular, BenRG, Freedom_Shamrock, mayuralover and all of you who regularly comment. I've enjoyed talking with you in the comments and keeping me company while I write this and giving me ideas and advice. You all are awesome!
> 
> Until next time
> 
> Rachel out!


	27. A letter to my readers

My beloved readers,

Firstly, I want to thank all of you from the depths of my heart for all of your comments, support, and enthusiasm throughout IRBM. This was a wonderful journey and I'm so glad all of you came on it with me. You all are awesome and I honestly contribute my ability to finish this tale to all of you. So, again, thank you so much.

Secondly, around chapter 20, I mentioned that I was feeling a burnout coming. Unfortunately, it wasn't just a burnout. I have multiple physical health issues that I struggle with, and over the course of writing IRBM, all of them reared their ugly heads at once.

After barely making it to the end of IRBM, I decided to take a well deserved break. When I finally felt well enough to pick up my pen again... There was no inspiration. No words. Nothing. I even consulted the outlines I had made on what I wanted to do in a sequel, and still nothing came. After multiple tries, I decided to take an honest look at IRBM and came to the conclusion that I had told the tale I wanted to tell and that there was very little I wanted to add to it.

In other words: there will be no sequel. 

I'm really sorry. This disappointed me deeply when I came to this conclusion, but I cannot force myself to write, especially if it will come out as something I myself wouldn't read.

I truly appreciate all of your support while I wrote IRBM, and I hope you will understand that I didn't come to this conclusion lightly. There are a few things that maybe I will write in the future, but I honestly cannot make any promises. 

Sincerely,

Rachel

❤️


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